Tips to become a successful BPO professional

27th September 2015
Tips to become a successful BPO professional

Rajiv Gupta  Group CEO, TCG Hamilton India Ltd,  highlights how BPO sector has emerged as one of the most promising career avenues for job seekers and professionals.

The BPO sector has emerged as one of the most promising and rewarding career avenues for fresher as well as experienced professionals. One of the fastest growing sectors, it provides employees with better-than-expected pay, great work culture, good incentives, amazing career growth, and a host of facilities. And thanks to these enticing factors, now people from different backgrounds, including media, marketing, finance, IT, and commerce are preferring to join BPOs.
Indeed, opportunities available in the BPO industry are immense. However, at the same time, everyone cannot become a successful BPO professional. Many people think that anyone can grab a job in a BPO company, as no special skills are required for this sector. However, in reality, it is completely wrong. Still, the BPO sector is facing a severe talent crunch.
Honestly speaking, BPO jobs are appropriate only for those who can work in a challenging environment. This sector is the right destination for those who are ready to deal with long working hours, irregular work schedule, new technologies and methodologies, and lots of work pressure.  Although challenges are many, opportunities available in the sector are immense. One should arm oneself with necessary skill sets to seize the opportunities. Now, the question is what it takes to become successful BPO professionals?  Here is what I have come up with—the top 5 simple tips to make the cut in the BPO sector.
Your performance matters a lot, so give full attention to it: The entire BPO industry is completely a performance-oriented sector. To sustain here, you will have to perform your best all the time. Not to be missed, your academic qualifications will be of little help to adopt the skills required in the industry. What all you need to do is to hone these skills
At first, you should comprehend the expectations of your job and try to stay updated in your areas of responsibilities. Always perform your every responsibility as per the policies and procedures. Complete your every assignment accurately and within the deadline so that the expected results can be achieved.  It is also good for you to handle several responsibilities effectively. It will help you go ahead in your career. Last but not the least; gain as much knowledge as possible with regards to the industry, role, and technologies and methods used. Do remember, resourceful persons hold a special position in BPO companies, as employees, across echelons, rely heavily on them for any help.   
You should have the right attitude to your work: Your attitude to the work is another important factor that can make or mar your career in BPO. You should have a clear objective of your job/role. Based on the objective, you should organize your responsibilities, find the resources you need to perform these responsibilities, and seek your senior’s guidance whenever needed. Too much hand-holding may pose danger to your career. So, try to perform with minimal supervision. At times, you need to work longer hours. At times, you may encounter problems while performing your duties. It is always better to handle such situations on your own. If there is any problem, try to identify and analyze it. You can also look for alternative solutions. However, if the problem goes beyond your capacity, do not hesitate to seek your senior’s help.
You must learn the art of working in teams: In any BPO, the teamwork culture is very important, as most of the projects are team-based. Therefore, you should learn how to work in teams. Always maintain good work relationships with your team members. Accustom yourself with changing demands and priorities. Do share important information and resources with your team mates. It will not only promote a collaborative work environment but also make you an important team member
Trust your teammates, respect their individual competencies and activities, and strengthen your bonding with them. Finally, you must master the art of conflict resolution, which is a must to work effectively in teams.
You should have impressive communication skills: If you want to become a successful BPO professional, your communication skills should be impressive. You should be able to convey your opinions, ideas, messages, or even any information effectively orally as well as in writing.
Listening skills are another important part here. It has been seen that many people are good at speaking and writing; however, their poor listening skills deter them from becoming good communicators. In the BPO environment, speaking, writing, and listening skills are equally important, as you need to serve your customers over phone and through emails as well.
You should be proficient in computer: BPO jobs are now divided into different categories—voice, non-voice, technical, semi-technical, and many more. However, for every category, computer knowledge is a must. The CEO of a recruiting firm once revealed, “It is a common perception that one without any knowledge of computer can be selected for a voice-based BPO if the person has good communication skills. However, it is completely wrong. Basic computer knowledge is one of the established job criteria even for voice-based BPO.”
With time, the BPO industry has evolved significantly. To become successful in this field, you should try to keep your finger on the pulse. The good thing is that now many BPO companies are introducing the ‘Education at Work’ initiative and establishing BPO training academy in collaboration with large credentialing bodies, such as BCI (BPO Certification Institute). Opting for such a professional certification can be career rewarding for both fresher and experienced BPO professionals. They can grow further in their respective job roles.
Rajiv Gupta a seasoned professional with around 15 plus years of leadership experience in Corporate Strategy and Human Capital Management function. He heads the India operations of TCG Hamilton, the world’s largest conglomerate in the credentialing and certification industry.  Prior to taking up his current position Rajiv headed the BPO Certification Institute (BCI) as its President & CEO.
September 26 2015