Experts view Call centers as customer contact centers

Internet technology is transforming the traditional call center into a
customer contact center. This was the conclusion that came out at the seminar on
‘Call Centers: people, performance and productivity’ here. The seminar was
organized by Parsec Technologies a customer interaction and management solutions
company.

Speaking on the occasion Arun Seth, Sr Consultant, British Telecom said that
today's customer want instant answers to service or billing problems and the
convenience of conducting transactions by telephone, Internet, e-mail or fax. He
also said that behind today's contact centers are computer telephony systems
that make voice and data convergence a reality. Emphasizing on computer
telephony he said that it links the data and telecommunications system and
allows intelligent call routing. “With the right applications, u can use
computer telephone integration to personalize your service, reduce wait times
and offer round the clock access to your business”, he added.

Prabhat Agarwal, CEO, Parsec Technologies said, “There is a great demand
for outsourcing in US which requires awareness among the fresher in the country.”

He also said that long-term success in this field depends on the capabilities
to deliver.

“Call centers should focus on recruitment and training of fresh graduates
and import expertise to sustain in the local environment. They also move out of
metros for long term practices”, he added.

Rajat Bhargava, Sr Consultant, Mckinsey and Co said that remote customer
interaction service is a fast growing opportunity in India and is growing at the
rate of 18 percent per annum. He also said that in our country there is abundant
quality English-speaking workforce is available and that too at low cost as
compared globally. It could be an attractive career option for people in this
country, he added.