What is a call center? A successful one?

A call center in the year 2003 is different from the call centers of the past. Because of Voice over IP, it is now any location in any time zone where Internet is available. It is located physically at any place where incoming and outgoing phone calls are made between call center representatives and customers. Just during the month of Ramadan, over 3 million seconds passed and billions of customers were served by these global call centers.

(Two popular terms are used to refer to the call centers that are opened in locations that are geographically away from the parent company’s location, “back office” and “outsourced center.” We will refer to them often.)

A customer does not care what a call center is nor where a call center is located. What truly matters is how well the call center representative treats the customer. The call center can be manned by one to an infinite number of representatives, depending upon the situation. It can be located in a corner of a residence, in the back room of a restaurant or other business, in the library of a school or university or again, on the top floor of the spice market, or anywhere that Internet is available. The call center of today and the future has no limits to the imagination. The limits are only those imposed by bureaucracy’s “red tape.”

It is clear now what a call center is. A huge number of those 3 million seconds of incoming and outgoing calls during Ramadan could have been placed to and from call centers in Pakistan. Why wait? What makes a successful call center in Pakistan? Certain types of manpower, Internet, VoIP long distance calling solution, and encouragement by the government are essential.

A successful call center will employ persons with a minimum of good English speaking ability and good English listening comprehension; basic skills in computers and Internet such as e-mail, chat programs, and web browsing; and a polite and confident attitude toward customers. The ideal back office representative will have all of the above capabilities, but he is also motivated by something inside of himself to succeed. Other terms for this concept are motivation or self-initiative. He will pursue a good command of English written and reading comprehension, an understanding of English idioms and different types of American slang, and have a will to be persistent, caring, flexible, observant, and assumptive with each unique customer he deals with. He will know that he is serving often well-informed customers who expect respect. He will be able to adjust to changes in technology as well as the products and services he will offer.

Next, reasonably priced Internet service is vital to take advantage of low-cost VoIP services. Government and private industry should work together to encourage DSL and other fast Internet access to be a common standard; this allows the representative to use a computer on the Internet and still make outgoing and receive incoming phone calls at the same time. At the least, a mere minimum bandwidth of 30 kbps per phone line is required. The people of Pakistan must be empowered with the same tools of success as citizens of other countries.

In the year 2000, India ended its monopolies on long distance and Internet bandwidth. It is not a mistake to say that this has helped India to be in the top four choices for outsourced call centers along with the Philippines, Canada, and Jamaica.

What advantages does Pakistan have over other countries to be the successful call center choice of the world? Will it be possible that in less than one year’s time, someone asks, “What is a call center?” Can we hope for the following reply to that question? “Let’s answer that by showcasing the thousands of such prosperous call centers in Pakistan.”

Why not? It is a land of citizens who are proactive, future-thinking, entrepreneurial, self-starting, creative, tough people. It is a people who have undergone many challenges in life, who have learned how to meet their basic needs in innovative ways.

I can remember meeting a gentleman on Super Highway at a truck stop who made me realize some of the innate qualities of Pakistanis. He was sitting in a small cubicle carved into the side of a store, not even big enough to stand up in. He had one light bulb above his head. It was midnight, and he was mending work jeans for truckers on a manually operated sewing machine. On top of this, he was smiling. This may not seem incredible to other Pakistanis, but this is exactly the incredible resourcefulness and attitude for success in this world. It is also what is needed by USA companies from Pakistani call center representatives.

A large number of Pakistanis comprehend and speak English as their second or third language, and not just from local English lessons. It is because of the Internet, where English is the main language used. The same Pakistani citizens who cannot afford many luxuries of life have found ways to use the Internet. It may clearly surprise many to know the number of Pakistanis whose second language English is quite fluent, in fact. This Internet we are speaking of has allowed the sharing of Pakistani culture and English language among people all over the world. It has provided good opportunities for Pakistanis that were, before the Internet, unheard of. It is the same Internet that can empower the country to be among the top call center choices of the world. We are referring, again, here to VoIP (voice over Internet protocol), not a mystery but a standard around the world. The future of long distance calling is here now, and it is through the Internet. Why block that? Why block the tool that will help make Pakistan be the call center choice of the world and improve standards of living?

It offers the same citizens a chance to build their employment resumes with excellent experience and references. The potential results even include some surprise advantages to both countries. The USA company who reduces its labor costs will be able to pass on some of that savings to its customer base. The Pakistani citizen improves his standard of living that improves the local economy and even decreases crime.

Straight from an entry at http://www.callcentrevoice.com, Faisal Javed says, “For a country of its size, Pakistan is unique in that a significant percentage of its educated workforce is technology-savvy, English-speaking and highly motivated. When you look at that combination, you realize that Pakistan presents a great opportunity for worldwide companies to service their clients with highly skilled people, while offering a cost-effective solution.”

What will make Pakistan the call center choice or even one of the typical call center choice locations of the world? It is the fantastic potential of well-educated, English-speaking, people-friendly citizens of Pakistan, the huge pool of those who have taken advantage of the opportunities of the Internet against many odds. The people, the Internet, VoIP long distance calling solution, and encouragement by the government can make Pakistan the call center choice, a reality.