Building Capabilities For Building Capabilities For Rural EmployabilityRural Employability

R. Bhatnagar

Head Operations

SerWizSol

Indian BPO ScenarioIndian BPO Scenario

• Growing fast

• Several challenges have emerged

• Don’t intend to get into details of it during this session

– they are well known !

Some Pioneers In Rural BPOSome Pioneers In Rural BPOName of BPO Details

ComatRuns 2,000 telecentres + ten facilities across rural India, offers transaction processing services for a US client, hires graduates in villages around Mysore.

Datamation group

Employs about 50 employees in Kuppam (Andhra Pradesh) and in some villages in Uttar Pradesh. Services offered include data entry and data processing. 

DesiCrew Solutions

Has 10 centers and 60 employees around Chennai. Set up with assistance from IIT Chennai. It provides services like - Translations, plotting data on maps, lead generation for IT companies etc.

GramIT (Rural BPO program of Satyam)

Supported by Satyam Foundation - GramIT employs 300 people in three units. GramIT recently won a project from a UK-based company.

Lason India (Chida Soft)

Supported by Lason, Chida Soft is located in Kizhanur village of Tiruvallur District in Tamil Nadu. Employs graduates from the village involved in coding, data entry and auditing legal publishing.

Sai SevaBased in Puttaparthy has 50+ employees. Handles image-based data capturing activity, electronic records creation for investment products, loans etc. HDFC Bank is a key client.

 Source: ValueNotes ResearchOther players• PURA (Providing Urban amenities in Rural Areas)• Bharat Nirman• Azim Premji Foundation• The TelNet Group of IIT, Chennai • Etc

Capability Assessment Carried OutCapability Assessment Carried OutArea Rural Average (%) Urban Average (%)

Logical Reasoning 70.5 73.0

Analytical Ability 68.0 70.0

Language and Communication

65.0 80.0

Subject Rural Average (%) Urban Average (%)

English 59.8 70.1

Maths Correlate to analytical

and reasoning aptitude

53.5 55.2

Physics 36.7 39.2

Chemistry 36.9 41.4

Source - GramIT

• Possibly the first voice based work being done from rural India

• Two functional centres

– Rural AP, Ethakota (pop 4515, census 2001), 90 seater operation functional since November 2007. Handling telecom related work. Approx 5,000 calls per day. Ramping up to 150 seats by March ‘08

– Rural Gujarat, Mithapur, 100 seater operation functional since mid January 2008. Handling telecom related work. Approx 3,500 calls per day

• Redefined what a call centre agent is – not necessarily Redefined what a call centre agent is – not necessarily a graduate or a Class 12 pass – but one with intent to a graduate or a Class 12 pass – but one with intent to learn and good communication abilitylearn and good communication ability

SerWizSol Call Centre InitiativeSerWizSol Call Centre Initiative

• Fade in approach adopted to ensure no dip in quality

• Additional time spent in imparting training – 2.5 to 3 months in comparison to a 28 day training module

• Appreciative comments received from end customersAppreciative comments received from end customers

Look ahead

• Start at least 4 more locations in the coming months to handle voice and non voice related work

• Assess capability to handle English Calls after regional language calls “settle down”

SerWizSol Call Centre InitiativeSerWizSol Call Centre Initiative

Challenges Faced Challenges Faced • Irregular power and poor / unreliable telecom facilities• Virtual absence of computer literate staff• Disinclination of supervisors to move to rural areas• Transportation difficulties from neighbouring villages• Lack of skills required by industry – soft skills /

customer orientation etc• Intermediate / degree certificates have no value in jobs

arena• Poor command over English • Risk over time – there could be attraction of higher

salaries in metros for trained personnel

Demand Side DriversDemand Side Drivers• Adequate availability of employable pool• Lower salaries – ranging from Rs. 1,500/- to Rs. 4,000/-• Enables serving growing domestic market• Capitalize on local language skills• Serving local and regional government IT development• Could possibly alleviate need to migrate to metros• Addresses aspects of Corporate Social Responsibility

In the long runIn the long run• Facilitate development of rural infrastructure, • Improve standard of living, • Increase employment opportunities in rural India • May even start a reverse migration from urban areas

Supply Side Drivers Supply Side Drivers • White collar jobs change the perceived status of the family• Quality of life improves since income is not agriculture based• Some employed youth opt for higher studies or invest in education

of their siblings• Women / Mothers

– of youth want a better life for their children– Keen to use opportunities which provide a sustainable way out of the

vicious cycle of poverty• Provides an option to youth to avoid getting into social problems• Helps teenage girls from falling victims to exploitation • Vulnerable segments of population like young widows and

disabled get a new lease of life • Job mobility of employed youth may increase over time with the

knowledge of English Hence, extremely motivated and willing to learn – desire to be Hence, extremely motivated and willing to learn – desire to be

successful “like the man on TV”successful “like the man on TV”

Rural BPO – Some Rural BPO – Some Illustrations Illustrations

Domestic Worker

Agricultural Worker

Temple Priest

Rural BPO Facility

“It is difficult to say what is impossible –

for the dream of yesterday is the hope of

today and the reality of tomorrow”

- Robert H. Goddard