Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Tuesday 4 October 2016

How About Virtual Call Centers ?


In my yesterday's blog ( Slow and Steady wins the Race )- and in earlier blog ( If Mohamed cannot Go to Mountain / 26 July 2015 ) , I had suggested allowing 1.3 million schools of India to lease out their premises at night ( 6 pm to 6 am ) , for private parties to set up Call Centers ( BPOs )


Also enabling them with 100 mbps  Internet broadband connections ( of course , FREE )


Idea was to reduce investment in setting up of BPOs by " round-the-clock " utilization of , otherwise idle assets


That logic could be extended to many similar under-utilized public assets such as :


#   2,25,000  Gram Panchayat offices ( all getting internet connection )

#   1,45,000  Post Offices ( also getting internet connection under Payment Bank scheme )

#   Lakhs of Government offices ( Central / State / Municipal / PSUs etc )

#   Lakhs of branches of Public Sector Banks


But any attempt to share a public place by different entities ( especially by Private Sector entities ) , at different times of day and night , is bound to raise many issues , including that of security / maintenance  etc


Again , these " idle / under-utilized " capacities will be available ONLY during the nights , whereas  a Call Centre  needs to work around the clock !


But then , in today's totally interconnected World , why should it be necessary for housing 10 / 20 / 50 persons in ONE place , under ONE roof , for collaborating on execution of COMMON tasks ?


I am sure , in any given ONE square km of a small town , there are 50 unemployed - and quite possibly , GRADUATE - youngsters , who would be more than happy to " work from home "


They will be happy to set aside , in their homes , a 5 feet by 5 feet space , as a " Home Work Station "


Now , that subsidy of " Rs 1 lakh per seat " that the IT Ministry has promised , is quite sufficient to set up a :


VIRTUAL  CALL  CENTER ,

by connecting those 50 youngsters through a  , VPN ( VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORK )


And since these youngsters are working from their homes , they can be asked to work in 3 shifts of 8 hours each , providing " Round the Clock " service to customers !


If Uber-Ola are adding 5,000 " Ride Sharing Taxies " EVERY MONTH , by providing lease finance to the drivers or even buying the cars themselves and giving to these drivers , then what is holding back the IT Ministry to follow their suit and enable 5,000 youngsters to become " Self Employed " , each month ? or even 50,000 ?


Dear Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad-ji :


Why give a subsidy to a prospective " OWNER " of a Call Centre ?


Why not give it directly ( DBT / Direct Benefit Transfer ) to those youngsters ?


Of course , this subsidy transfer should take place , only AFTER , the Call Centre Owner , certifies that it has entered into a " Contractual Retainer-ship " with a particular youngster


I would request you to consider the following aspects of my suggestion :


*  No new building premises needed


*  All technologies for a VPN, are existing / well proven  / reasonably priced / easy to implement quickly


MSPs / ISPs and your own Ministry are pushing internet connections to every corner of India


*  Moving from " Ownership of Assets " to " Assets as Service " scenario ( ala Uber-Ola-Airbnb etc )


*  Moving from " Employment " to " Self Employment " with direct transfer of subsidy to beneficiary


*  Has the potential to raise India's share in global BPO business from current 36 % to 50 % in one year


*  Can earn billions of dollars in foreign exchange


*  It would become a LIVING PROOF that DIGITAL INDIA can help our un-employed graduates to earn a living


*  Google  /  Microsoft  / Facebook , would be happy to help since " Next Billion " is their topmost agenda


In an age where the " Fast and Furious " are out to overtake the " Slow and Steady " , the meek are unlikely to inherit the earth !


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

05  Oct  2016

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs




  

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