subject: Importance Of Infrastructure In Bpo [print this page] The importance of infrastructural facilities in a BPO cannot be understated. It is possibly among the most important consideration for an investor who's about to set up a call center. It would be wrong to think that you can pool money and get all the infrastructural back-up that you need. But that is not so. The business process outsourcing industry is one sector that needs backing from the local authorities if they want to function as a proper unit. There are some facilities that cannot be made available if the rulers of the land are not backing your project actively. In article we will take a closer look at all those factors that money cannot buy and even if it can, the investment would not be feasible for the BPO service provider. These are the reasons why some hubs work and others don't.
First up on this list is the telecommunication support. Telemarketing services is, obviously, not possible without the correct telecommunication infrastructure. The call centers need proper telephone lines that offer distortion-free communication. They need fast-speed and stable internet because the calls are often routed through the internet. In case the BPO has an internet connection that fails and drops calls conducted through it, the firm will suffer heavy losses. The loss would not be confined in the context of money. Poor answering service can lead to customers walking out of the brand that you are marketing. That would mean lesser customers for your clients, exactly the opposite of what you had set out to do!
You need the help of the government to set up a proper internet set-up. Cities in South Africa had to pay high sums of money for their internet and even then, the connection was anything but stable. With the coming of the BPO industry, the problem persisted and escalated as a major issue. The expensive internet wouldn't allow the call centers to cut down on their prices and bring it to the standard global level. They were not able to bring more clients on board because of their steep pricing. Finally the government took this up and installed fiber optic network around the city of Cape Town. The new network helped the call center services immensely, brought down the prices and made the city more investor-friendly.
The transport infrastructure is a major support as well. Call center agents often work graveyard shifts or are let off from their workplaces at unearthly hours. In both cases, they have to reach their destination. While the conveyance of the BPO units is an option, public transport can never be beaten. The government can do well to build up the roads and transport facilities that can run the BPO service during the night. Investors look at such features in a city before they take plunge of investing money. Traffic snarls and other inconveniences on the roads cut into the productive time for the agents. Security issue at the dead of the night is another factor. Once all of these fall into place, you get the right call center hub.
