BPO jobs – A curse?
If a person says that he is working in a BPO, the people’s reaction will vary from 😳 😮 😯 😡 🙄 ❗ And people who give those reactions will be doing one of the job they don’t like and cursing the job for the time they are in office.
One of the classical conversations between a mother of a son who is working in BPO and a mother of a son who is working in some XYZ IT company.
BPO Mom: What your son is doing?
IT Mom: He is working in a XYZ company. Your son??
BPO Mom: In a ABC BPO.
IT Mom: (Her reaction will be like the guy was turned into one loony) 😳 😳 😳 how sad!!!! Why is he doing that? Didn’t he got any better job??
[Some will be shocked and go on to say, “Of all the jobs in the world, is your son working in BPO?” :shock:]
Even before other word comes out from IT mom, BPO mom will move from that place adn will have 100’s of things going through her mind and 1000’s of things to advice to his son.
It is the case with everybody who meets a person working in BPO or anybody from his family. They feel sorry for their plight ❗ and then will give the idea 💡 to switch over to IT sector as if IT sector providing riches.
The reasons being said against BPO jobs are unconventional work timings and then they never use their brain to solve an issue 😯
Unconventional work timings:
As the jobs are mostly outsourced ones, they work in night shifts. But they have some timings and they can start from the office once the time is over. But that’s not the case with IT job. Once a person moves into a development project, his/her life will be like hell. Even if they work for 24 hours/day they can’t meet the deadline set for them. Their life will be confined to their cubicle and it will be a rarity to see them relaxed until that project gets over.
Solving an issue:
I feel like thrashing anybody who says, ‘They don’t use their brain in BPO while working’. I want to ask then how much they use their brain. And whoever saying this will be doing some crap jobs in software sector out of compulsion and in the need of money. Also the one who is working in BPO will be more knowledgeable in solving problems in WINDOWS better than anybody. Just check with a guy who is working in BPO.
Its not easy to survive in BPO too. One must need a good communication skills in English, quick thinking and lot of patience to explain things to the customer. And not many who are blaming the BPO jobs have these qualities. Also if the people cursing it were doing something they enjoy or else something that helps few people then I won’t say anything. But they will be slogging out in office just for money and their only activity for 24×7 is to curse the job they do.
BPO job is another job and whether the people doing it for money or enjoyment is their business. Others please don’t be sad or lament about it as those jobs too need some qualities. Atleast keep your funny thoughts to yourself as you have never done that job.
Straight Drive 
First!!!!!!
kanagu: Yes.. you are!!! 😀 😀
Oh, that was a strong post, Kanagu 🙂
kanagu: 🙂 🙂
Actually, I think when BPOs started up, everybody was in a mad rush to join such organizations, for their supposedly MNC culture,and the novelty of it all. Today, yes, the common perception is a wave of sympathy for BPO-employees who are all assumed to work night shifts and lack a regular day social life. And I guess today, entry level jobs in private banks pay as much as, or sometimes, more, than BPOs, which wasn’t the case about a decade ago.
kanagu: Yes.. lot of jobs providing good pays.. but every job has some respect.. people shouldn’t judge people based on the nature of the work they do until its not disturbing anyone..
No job is an insult to any profession.Before, the business of BPO came into being,there wasn’t much an ordinary graduate could do in this competitive environment.One must consider this as an opportunity and please ,respect the profession.
kanagu: True Sir…
“Please respect the profession’
Would echo the words too.
yes ur absolutely right v shid respect the proffession………….
If you get enough sleep all is well at the end of the day 🙂
kanagu: Welcome here Deeps 🙂 🙂 Yup.. sleep is most important 😀 😀
Kanagu Beta,
I think I should send Vicky over to read this post:)
-Gorakh Nath.
kanagu: Please hide this post from Joy Sir.. Else he may kill me… 😀 😀
Gorakh Babu,
Please make sure that Joy doesn’t read this one or he will go ahead and write a post on how Bill Gates would be begging on the streets because of the Non-IT BPO people 🙄
🙄
With Joy, I have learnt to expect anything, Sakhsi Ji, but thank you for warning me.
– Gorakh Nath.
Wow!!! I’m yet to meet somebody supporting BPO jobs so much!
kanagu: Yet to??? We met already 😀 😀
Well …the idea behind dismissing BPO jobs is that it is not a proper job…because the salary is limited, and so are chances of career progression. It is seen as an easy way of getting quick bucks, nonetheless.
kanagu: Yeah.. but its their headache.. but why people like to thrash them like anything??? thats what my question is..
kanagu:
Maybe such ppl shud meet u to learn a lesson or two! 😉
kanagu: I am free to provide such lessons 😀 😀
But I don’t think people need to dismiss rt? If the person who is working there is fine with it, why shud people bother?
Oh I agree Kanagu ! a person working in BPOs need a lot of patience and it seriously is not an easy job. Laxmi was in a BPO and she just joined in another recently. I can see the stress in her face these days! Leave BPO jobs, people judge anybody who works in the night shift !! 😀
kanagu: There you voiced your own concern 😀 😀
“endha thozhil seyydaal enna, seyyum thozhil daivam” 😀 😀 😀
kanagu: 😀 😀
Wah, wah, Vimmuuu pulavare !!! 🙂
People judge anybody – no more qualifiers required @ all na 😀
IF u work in software, they will ask u why u r nt working in Infy, Wipro or TCS 😛
Since ppl know only few companies I mean 😀
lol.. so true :)) even if a person is working in an awesome company, they ask “dint u get thru infy” 😛
Very well said, Vims!!
“endha thozhil seyydaal enna, seyyum thozhil daivam”- So true!
Infy is not at all a good company to work for.
😳 😮 😯 😡 🙄 ❗ exactly my reaction after reading your post. God I can’t imagine my life without the people working in BPO’s. You know when we call from here and the call is outsourced to India, at first they put on this American Accent and Jhakaas name. After a few sentence, I take the risk and tell them I am an Indian and would be happy to know if he/she is one? Haaa…..how lovely and smooth then it goes from there 😛 I have talked about the difference in price of Coconut, here and in Kerala …..to Kareena’s facial contortions with extremely helpful BPO employees and most of the time ended up in forgetting the reason I called them up for? 😳
kanagu: ha ha ha.. trust you to forgot about what you intended to call for!!! 😀 😀 But what is the risk in telling that you are an Indian?? 🙄 🙄
Haa tell that IT Mom if there were no BPO jobs how will her son’s IT company sell all that pricey software they make? 😉
kanagu: I will.. next time 😀 😀
Excellent point there Sakshi…I was about to voice that one and am so glad you did 😀
Hw true 🙂
Thank you ladies…you guys proved that once in a while am an Intelligent Person….sobs…sobs 👿
Heee…hhee…as long as you get to sleep and you can manage social life…you are always in safe health…and it doesn’t matter BPO or IT…
kanagu: 🙂 🙂
Good post kanagu…
Aryan’s mom
kanagu: Thanks akka 🙂 🙂
Good one Kanagu…
kanagu: Thanks Pixie 🙂 🙂
Though, initially I used to feel the same – that people who work in BPO’s don’t use or need their brains!! 😦
But, as I started seeing and learning more about the real world, I changed my mind pretty fast and now, have stopped judging such people! 🙂
kanagu: Thanks for understanding then Pixie.. 🙂 🙂 Not everyone can do any job,..
Excellent post thambi.
kanagu: Thanks Akka 🙂 🙂
Non-IT BPO jobs are more stressful than any jobs,people working in call centers change their name and their accent to talk to foreign customers which is not a easy job to do.And the risk involved in travelling at nights even though transport is provided by the co (heard of few bad incidents)
kanagu: True… there are lot of risks there..
btw did u read One night @ a call center by Chetan Bagat?
kanagu: Yes akka,.. and felt it is lil filmy..
That was one strong, Kanagu!
kanagu: 🙂 🙂
I’m sure people working in the BPO are going to be mighty thrilled if they read this post :D.
kanagu: that way I add some punniyam to myself 😀 😀
There was a time when BPO jobs were a rage. But I guess the bubble has burst now and not many talk about thses jobs very favourably.
I fully agree with you that BPO jobs are as strenuous and demanding as any. Its wrong to look down upon people who work in thses organizations.
kanagu: 🙂 🙂
U need a strong kaapi nw Deeps 😛 😛
Deeps, The Big Q here is “who burst the bubble?” Che…why would people go around bursting bubbles blown by innocent kids, ehh?
LOL, Swar..I sure need kaapi…going by how I missed to mention ‘post’ after strong in my first line 😆
Saksh: ha ha he he 😛 😛
I feel BPO ppl themself sometime crib a lot abt their job a lot and that make other ppl take bpo jobs in a wrong work..
kanagu: Everyone cribs about their job.. its not only BPO employees…
And I totally agree with you…they are equally demanding and need your grey cells to work otherwise you cant sustain..
Infact its good opportunity for non engg students to get into mnc culture jobs and earn pretty good salary too !!..
Wish some BPO workers read your post 🙂
kanagu: 🙂 🙂
Rash, I think all or atleast most ppl crib about their jobs 🙂 Whether its BPO, IT, whatever 🙂
Swar I don’t crib about my full time job, that is of Commenting
As long as one is happy doing his/her job, it should not matter! And as for timings…I guess, one gets used to a routine after a while!!
kanagu: True Shilpa 🙂 they get used to it…
Whether it is a BPO job or IT job, stress is there in both, I have heard from some young people. Working at nights is the main minus point for BPO job. IT people also do the same binary language projects and as you said, the stress is too much. Many of them get fed up with the job and most of them shift jobs, keeping on looking for a satisfying job.
kanagu: Yeah.. but they search in the same field even though they know it’s not their world.. sigh..
BPO people meet many people across the world and some entertainment will be there for discussion, later on.
kanagu: My friend used to say from funny stories from there… 🙂 🙂
IT job is mechanical. Patience is needed in both jobs. Yes, as many of the commentors have stated here, because of BPO jobs, many youngsters are happily earning good money. We didn’t face severe recession also, like other countries did. My relative who is in IT job, leaves home at 7.15 in the morning with tiffin, lunch, dinner boxes. His mother gets up at 4 am for cooking for him. He comes back at 10 or 12 pm. He doesn’t like office canteen food! It is very difficult for the son and the parents.
kanagu: Phew!!! that tough 😦 😦 3 meals daily from home.. !!!
It is always ‘the other side of the fence is green’, Kanagu! Very well written post!
kanagu: Thank you 🙂 🙂
Very true Kanagu….no job is easy that ppl can make money sitting in the cubicles…everything is hard work and its time ppl realise that BPO jobs are not that easy too.
kanagu: 🙂 🙂
Any personal exp for bursting out like this ??? 😉
kanagu: No.. its my friend’s experiences and I felt people were over-reacting.. 😀 😀
Well I must add a note of thanks to you as well all the commentators above me for enlightening me about the BPO jobs as well as the inside story of the IT jobs : D 😀
To be honest I have no direct connections with either of them and all my views have been based on the opinions expressed by people around me.
I strongly agree every job whether big or small, no matter how much money it fetches is respectable for every job is unique and important in it’s own stride. Odd reactions to other people’s jobs is absolutely wrong and unacceptable.
As far stress goes, I think wherever work exists so does stress 😀 😀
All I feel and live by is that each is special in his own place 🙂 Starting from a mochi to anybody who might own a company.
kanagu: There you said it perfectly Swaram 🙂 🙂
Ask the IT person’s Mom to take a few questioning calls and then she will know 😉
Did you say Mochi? 🙂 I love Mochi’s in any form be it the ones on the streets to the designers 😛 and I think without them I would be richer by a few dollars 😡
Great post Kanagu!! Agree with you completely.. But I have seen vice versa too.. BPO guy’ mom boasting in front IT guy’s mom 🙂
kanagu: Thanks AK 🙂 🙂 is that happened??? 😯 I like to see her 😀 😀
err Kanagu she said “BPO GUY’ mom” not gal’s mom…so no need to be so eager to meet her 😉
first let me see a gal.. then I can go and meet her mom 🙂 🙂
In my humble opinion, both the sectors offer back office positions for big companies abroad. Indeed they are good as they bring in the much needed Dollars to India, but to see a whole bunch of youth running after them instead of traditional engineering/ research positions which offers good skill sets is really depressing. The long run will answer a lot of questions. And that long run will favor neither of the above sectors.
Destination Infinity
kanagu: Yup that one depressing thing 😦 but then the respect for researchers in our country is close to negligible, isn’t it?? In long run.. yes.. they won’t help us much….
I hate such aunties who forces their kids to become elephants,horses & hippos!!
Bahh!!
kanagu: Me too.. 😀 😀
😆 😆
We say in tamil, “Seiyum thozhile deivam” – yes it is! No job is less better than the other. Every job has its own challenges, and one doesn’t have any right to comment on the other job. If BPO industry is surviving in India, it’s because of the best customer service we have given to the world! I know how difficult it should be when a customer blasts at you? or asks such a dumb question all over again and again!
kanagu: Yes Anu… Every job is unique and it needs to be respected.. hope the people understands that..
Well written post Kanagu! As always!
kanagu: Thank you 🙂 🙂
Good article Kanagu.
kanagu: Thanks akka 🙂 🙂
Akka is a Telugu word meaning elder sister. Is it the same in Tamil too? Just out of curiosity!
kanagu: Yes.. its the same 🙂 🙂
Post is well written and comments are very thoughtful.
kanagu: Thanks to everybody 🙂 🙂
I go with the one who said every job is important and some one has to do that particular job.
But I just want to add something: In future if you want people to work in any job, who is going to teach them? I mean why our education sector is neglected so badly? Whether in terms of salary to teachers or infrastructure.
My point is who is going to teach your kids or my kids in the future? Even to do a BPO job!
kanagu: Yeah.. but there isn’t much money there.. so people ignoring it.. lets see what happens friend.. but it’s important..
Tamil is quite independent from Sanskrit. But Telugu? Apart from the script, I am not sure. Either way, Akka must have been originally Tamil.
kanagu: I am very bad in languages Sri…
Yes, there is no enough money. That is what I said.
kanagu: hmmm…
Scr** the English media.
Scr** the politicians.
Finally Scr** the decency.
http://hindusamhati.blogspot.com/2010/09/deganga-update.html
http://hindusamhati.blogspot.com/
I suggest to read comments sections also.
You want to read how media reports?
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata-/Army-out-after-Deganga-rioting/articleshow/6516493.cms
kanagu: Will check them Sri…
Thanks Kanagu for passing my comment.
Many websites have deleted it, I am just informing you this.
I am bit off the line of proper language and I apologize for that. At times I get impetuous which is stupidity.
kanagu: I din’t find anything offensive there.. so passed it 🙂
Ahhh wish people would just mind their own jobs and businesses 🙂
kanagu: 🙂 🙂
i think bpo job has got a lot of challenges and scope.
but in the present scenario ,i guy or a gal before joinin
a bpo thinks 100 times ,coz of the night shifts,work environment
constant pressure…
last but not the least the insecurity for girls in bpo..
bpos and mncs are also slowly and steadily damaging our culture..
AS young folks of late 20s having no other choices join these BPOS for money ,and due to odd official timings have to face tremendous personal troubles .they get addicted to drugs and bad habits….
we hav seen many instances of tht 1 in last few months.
so,evry job needs to be respected but its ur discretion and wish to go whr u want!!!
BPO- Beginners’ Professional Opening
The BPO or Call Centre Jobs can be called back or rolled back at any point of time. It is as easy as removing an internet connection.
Of course, for gaining experience, to develop the ability of communication, especially in English, BPO Jobs are good, where even a fresher can also expect to get a break to begin with. At the same time, BPO jobs are under the mercy of the foreign Companies who are outsourcing some of their selected operations into India.
Besides, there are recurrent threats from other developing couriers like Philippians, Ceylon, China etc who are ready to offer BPO work on lesser salaries. There is no glamour or prestige in BPO jobs if salaries are not growing as they used to grow. With the current diminishing returns, the term BPO jobs can also be expanded as Beginners Professional Opening. The poor guys have to worry not only about Indian economy but also of the foreign country outsourcing the operations to India. . Another disadvantage of these jobs is their inability to pursue their studies while on the job, due to unhealthy work timings. A lazy one always remain in the web of BPO only to come out to the world of unemployed after few years of service.
It is amusing to note that that in their appointment letters, even the BPOs are also referring about the retirement age of their employees as 58 to 60 yeas. A middle aged man at BPO unit at his 60 will surely be an odd man among employees. May be due to mandatory reasons; BPOs are compelled to state retirement age in their appointment letters.
In the present scenario, an employee will become a Corporate Wonder, if he or she retires after completing full term of employment, from a company in which security of job are more than BPO. If another does the same thing as BPO employee then his name can be included in Guinness Book of World Records.
Any beginner who tries to get a job in Defense, Bank, and Government etc. can be called Mr. Common Sense.
I see, these discussions are only concerned around IT and BPO and everyone here thinks BPO as a call center and only night shift jobs. I do beg your pardon here and would like to share my view. Kindly excuse me if you would like to differ. BPO is Business Process Outsourcing. It is as good as working for the client company. Unlike North American markets we do have morning shift and day shift jobs as well in BPO. Unlike any other normal jobs, we do have opportunity to learn not only good communication skills but time management, people management, stress management, crisis management, quality management, project management, client relationship management, knowledge management and so forth. We have high chances to travel overseas and learn things over there at company’s cost (OJT). We also have opportunity to enhance our education as most of the BPOs have connections with top universities and most of them are sponsored by the company.
So guys here, please do not discuss the pros and cons of any job. We are facing tremendous challenge correcting our economy and BPO is a diamond in the Indian Job market. I would strongly recommend BPO to all young fresh grad pass outs as a full stream carrier path and not a quick money making mechanism.
(And who says that BPO experience is not counted in core industry. FYI, the Finance and Accounting domain have more CAs, MBAs than any other sector. And if they wanna pursue further career options in a different industry, they would be more than welcome as they, by then would have knowledge of International Markets. Reporting Standards (IFRS, GAAP, etc))
In the era of globalization, please do not spread rumors like BPO as a Students’ alternative career. It is a very respected one and would always remain like this, if not better.
So good luck to those, who have got some amount of confidence and would like to join this industry for a great future.
Regards
Avik
The remaining story to be continued…..
The BPO Mom asked to IT Mom: By the way hows your son?
IT Mom: hmm.. what can i say, he has some deadline in this month, so since last 2 weeks he arrive at 9 or 10 pm after heavy work, and just sleep. Again wake up in morning @ 6 am, n leave to office till 8 am.Don’t have time to talk with him even….
What about your son?
BPO Mom: Aahhhhh… Every day we go for shopping, he wind up some pending work of banks and other, help to his father in day time and leave for office @ night. He is with us for whole day….
IT Mom: 😦
What does a BPO guy do when he starts his career at 20 in a BPO, and reaches the age pf 40-45? I have worked in a bpo fr 1 week….left it….its a complete piece of shit….. a place fr losers….
I am so glad I read your post today. I am working in a BPO myself and making some good money out of it. I recently married a guy who totally respects my job, however due to family pressure I wanted to look for other options.
To be honest, I don’t have any complains about my job. I manage to take out proper time to sleep, take care of my household work myself (Of-course my husband helps me with the daily chores)
Now, with the need of planning a kid, I was wondering how would I be able to sustain a night shift job…??
Totally lost……