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"If I were asked
what a BPO - Business Process Outsourcing - was, before my Campus Ambassador
Program, I would have simply said that it was a call center. But after attending
the program I learnt that a call center was roughly 15 per cent of the total BPO
activities," said one trainee.
The trainees said that the program had helped them understand that students
could aspire for a fruitful career in BPO industry as in any other industry.
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After receiving the training, the Campus Ambassadors
were expected to make presentations in colleges and conduct BPO-related
quiz competitions and other programs to provide a more accurate image of
the BPO industry.
"As campus ambassadors we act as the SPOC (Single Point of Contact)
between the company and the college, to enrich and help students decide
on the choice of a BPO career. We embody the true spirit of an emissary
and work to organize various activities at our college to share the
experience we gained at Infosys,"5 said a Campus Ambassador.
As of 2008, Infosys BPO was one of leading outsourcers with revenues of
approximately US$148 million in fiscal year 2007. Its revenue had grown
from US$4 million in 2003 to approximately US$148 million in fiscal year
2007.
For the nine months ended December 2007, revenues had increased to
US$157 million.6 Amitabh Chaudhry, CEO, Infosys BPO, contended that even
in these times, which were considered to be tough for BPO companies, the
company was witnessing no slowdown in the demand for BPO services.7
In addition to strong financial results, the company had gained
international recognition and had been ranked among the leading BPO
companies in India by Dataquest, the International Association of
Outsourcing Professionals, NASSCOM, Red Herring, etc.
In 2007, it was also ranked fourth globally in the first-ever FAO
(Finance & Accounting Outsourcing) worldwide ranking of service
providers.8 BPO being a people-oriented business, the company gave credit
for this to the quality talent pool that the company had created with
its innovative HR practices.
According to Gurjar, the CAP had gone a long way in helping not only in
talent sourcing but also in increasing the talent pool. "Through these
initiatives we are proud to say that we are employers of choice at
campuses and most often enjoy day-one slots for recruitment,"9 she said.
In early 2008, analysts felt that Infosys BPO's CAP was one of the
innovative hiring strategies being implemented in India.10 According to
them, creating brand equity in the eyes of potential employees and
hiring for retaining purposes and not for the short-term had helped Infosys BPO in these tough times.
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5] "Infy Ambassadors to Give a Feel of BPO Life,"
www.offshoringtimes.com, 2006.
6] "Infosys Technologies to Hire More BSc Graduates," http://loungerecruiters.wordpress.com,
January 15, 2008.
7] In addition to high rates of attrition, as of early 2008,
the BPO companies were facing tough times due to the rise of rupee against the
dollar adversely affecting their profits and signs of an impending economic
slowdown in the US.
8] "Infosys Expected to Reach $ 4 Billion in 2008,"
www.indiaprwire.com, April 13, 2007.
9] "Evolution of HR at Infosys BPO," www.growtalent.com, April
2, 2007.
10] "Innovative HR Practices is the Key for Retaining Talent,"
www.economictimes.indiatimes.com, April 9, 2008. |
