The BPO scenario in India has changed from helping and supporting the clients to understanding the core business of clients and transforming their business. Though there is a huge potential in the segment, creating BPO-ready people is the need of the hour.

Speaking at the Nasscom BPO Strategy Summit, D Swaminathan, CEO of Infosys BPO said that the understanding of what is happening in the industry and how it will evolve in the future is poor among many universities and educational institutions.

Infosys BPO has seen attrition rate dropping down as more and more capable and skillful people, who are efficient in understanding the client’s demands and deliver, are hired. “Those days are gone when the BPO companies in India were doing as they were told. Now, it has grown from transaction, functional phase to being part of client’s business,” Swaminathan said.

Keshav Murugesh, CEO of WNS said that at the national level, BPO companies should come up with programmes, get 5-6 lakh BPO-ready people into the industry with the support of the government, or else the industry would face serious problems.

“BPO companies should start leading and not just following the clients. We must get people who can sit in strategic planning sessions of clients, understand their needs and give game-changing ideas,” he further said.

The country produces 3.5-4 million graduates and diploma holders every year, of which less than 10 per cent are employable in ITeS, according to various studies.

S Nagarajan, co-founder and CPO of 24/7 Customer said, “BPO industry should see how the manufacturing industry has evolved. From mid-1950s, there were number of ITIs and polytechnics, which were supported by government. The BPO industry should work with UGC to change the curriculum to include separate courses for BPO segment at graduation level.”