1. Elaborate what you understand about the BPO system, and how it works?
Answer: Business Procedure Outsourcing is a system in which companies contract the operations of one work 'process' to a third-party company. A good example of a BPO is an American company outsourcing their customer handling jobs to service providers in India.
2. Define what is an outsource?
Answer: In the BPO environment, the business that outsources their work to another firm is known as the outsourcer.
3. What is the difference between back-office and front office outsourcing?
Answer: When a company decides to outsource an internal procedure of its working, it is called back-office outsourcing. For example, if a company gave a third-party account firm the responsibilities to manage its finances, it would be back office outsourcing.
Front office outsourcing involves customer handling services and BPO call centers from the contact point for customers of the company to address their grievances.
4. What is the difference between offshore, nearshore, and onshore outsourcing?
Answer: If a company contracts a third-party enterprise to carry out a certain procedure for them outside their own country, then it is called offshore outsourcing. Example: American company outsources to an Indian company.
Nevertheless, if the contract is given to an enterprise of a neighboring country, then it is referred to as nearshore outsourcing. Example: American company outsources to a Mexican company.
Sometimes the company that outsources and the company that accepts the assignment are in the same country. This is known as onshore outsourcing.
6. What do you think is the purpose for India having so many BPO sector jobs? / Why do you think India is one of the leading countries in BPO services?
Answer: Since India has one of the largest speaking English populations in the world and a high computer capable population, foreign corporations often outsource their contact center jobs to India. Also, the Indian Rupee has a high exchange rate and therefore, it is very cost effective for Western companies, given the high quality of work they get in return.
7. Tell us what LPO and KPO is?
Answer: Legal Procedure Outsourcing is when a legal firm outsources a part of their legal work to another legal firm. On the other hand, Knowledge Procedure Outsourcing is a part of Business Process Outsourcing itself but only referred to assignments that have high technical, analytical, or subject-oriented knowledge. An example of KPO would be the outsourcing of software development to another company.
8. Elaborate on the difference between inbound and outbound call centers?
Answer: Inbound call centers are contact points where clients of the parent company call for assistance or review of the product or service they have availed. A good example of an inbound call center is when anyone calls a customer care center.
Outbound call centers are a method of lead generation, where callers call up leads from databases to create more business for the parent company. Credit card companies calling up potential customers with offers is an example of outbound call centers.
9. Do you think that BPOs and call centers are one and the same?
Answer: No, BPOs are the larger circle which contain front office and back office outsourcing. Call centers are a part of front office outsourcing where the hired company comes in direct contact with customers. BPOs on the other hand, also include KPOs like software development, finance, and HR services among others.
10. What is Web-chat process and Voice process?
Answer: BPO call centers meet the leads or customers of the outsourcing company by two different ITEs solutions. Web chat process is when BPO contact centers communicate through chat heads on the website. In a voice process, communication between BPO contact centers and said clients or leads are done over the phone.
11. What are the common hurdles faced by Indian BPO companies?
Answer: One of the biggest hurdles that any BPO company must face is the low retention rate of employees. Since most BPO companies hire freshers at the lowest level, a lot of time is dedicated to training each new entrant. The quick shift of these freshers to other sectors or companies creates a constant need for training and results in low productivity.
12. What is the significance of ISO:9000 in the BPO industry?
Answer: ISO:9000 is a standard regulating system that is based on the motto of planning, doing, checking, and acting cycle. In the BPO industry, it brings the motive of customer satisfaction as the final goal through this cycle and makes use of key performance indicators as a medium.
13. Why are night shifts so common in the BPO industry?
Answer: Since call centers are mostly communicating with offshore customers/clients in the West where it is daytime, employees must work during the night in India, which is in the East.
14. What is an Automatic Call Distribution and how does it work?
Answer: Automatic Call Distribution is a random process which is used in call centers to allocate incoming calls of customers to free agents on the floor.
15. How will you handle a customer-on-call when you do not know the solution to the problem?
Answer: The best way to handle customer calls where the best resolution is unknown is to ask the caller to hold the line while connecting the call to the right person. In tech support, this could be a specific engineer and in case of call centers, it could be the overseeing manager or in-charge.
Answer: Business Procedure Outsourcing is a system in which companies contract the operations of one work 'process' to a third-party company. A good example of a BPO is an American company outsourcing their customer handling jobs to service providers in India.
2. Define what is an outsource?
Answer: In the BPO environment, the business that outsources their work to another firm is known as the outsourcer.
3. What is the difference between back-office and front office outsourcing?
Answer: When a company decides to outsource an internal procedure of its working, it is called back-office outsourcing. For example, if a company gave a third-party account firm the responsibilities to manage its finances, it would be back office outsourcing.
Front office outsourcing involves customer handling services and BPO call centers from the contact point for customers of the company to address their grievances.
4. What is the difference between offshore, nearshore, and onshore outsourcing?
Answer: If a company contracts a third-party enterprise to carry out a certain procedure for them outside their own country, then it is called offshore outsourcing. Example: American company outsources to an Indian company.
Nevertheless, if the contract is given to an enterprise of a neighboring country, then it is referred to as nearshore outsourcing. Example: American company outsources to a Mexican company.
Sometimes the company that outsources and the company that accepts the assignment are in the same country. This is known as onshore outsourcing.
6. What do you think is the purpose for India having so many BPO sector jobs? / Why do you think India is one of the leading countries in BPO services?
Answer: Since India has one of the largest speaking English populations in the world and a high computer capable population, foreign corporations often outsource their contact center jobs to India. Also, the Indian Rupee has a high exchange rate and therefore, it is very cost effective for Western companies, given the high quality of work they get in return.
7. Tell us what LPO and KPO is?
Answer: Legal Procedure Outsourcing is when a legal firm outsources a part of their legal work to another legal firm. On the other hand, Knowledge Procedure Outsourcing is a part of Business Process Outsourcing itself but only referred to assignments that have high technical, analytical, or subject-oriented knowledge. An example of KPO would be the outsourcing of software development to another company.
8. Elaborate on the difference between inbound and outbound call centers?
Answer: Inbound call centers are contact points where clients of the parent company call for assistance or review of the product or service they have availed. A good example of an inbound call center is when anyone calls a customer care center.
Outbound call centers are a method of lead generation, where callers call up leads from databases to create more business for the parent company. Credit card companies calling up potential customers with offers is an example of outbound call centers.
9. Do you think that BPOs and call centers are one and the same?
Answer: No, BPOs are the larger circle which contain front office and back office outsourcing. Call centers are a part of front office outsourcing where the hired company comes in direct contact with customers. BPOs on the other hand, also include KPOs like software development, finance, and HR services among others.
10. What is Web-chat process and Voice process?
Answer: BPO call centers meet the leads or customers of the outsourcing company by two different ITEs solutions. Web chat process is when BPO contact centers communicate through chat heads on the website. In a voice process, communication between BPO contact centers and said clients or leads are done over the phone.
11. What are the common hurdles faced by Indian BPO companies?
Answer: One of the biggest hurdles that any BPO company must face is the low retention rate of employees. Since most BPO companies hire freshers at the lowest level, a lot of time is dedicated to training each new entrant. The quick shift of these freshers to other sectors or companies creates a constant need for training and results in low productivity.
12. What is the significance of ISO:9000 in the BPO industry?
Answer: ISO:9000 is a standard regulating system that is based on the motto of planning, doing, checking, and acting cycle. In the BPO industry, it brings the motive of customer satisfaction as the final goal through this cycle and makes use of key performance indicators as a medium.
13. Why are night shifts so common in the BPO industry?
Answer: Since call centers are mostly communicating with offshore customers/clients in the West where it is daytime, employees must work during the night in India, which is in the East.
14. What is an Automatic Call Distribution and how does it work?
Answer: Automatic Call Distribution is a random process which is used in call centers to allocate incoming calls of customers to free agents on the floor.
15. How will you handle a customer-on-call when you do not know the solution to the problem?
Answer: The best way to handle customer calls where the best resolution is unknown is to ask the caller to hold the line while connecting the call to the right person. In tech support, this could be a specific engineer and in case of call centers, it could be the overseeing manager or in-charge.
