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• April 30th, 1992 - Outsourced development project to Frontier Software in Mumbai
• 1994 – moved to Pune• 1996 – Created VERITAS
wholly owned subsidiary• 1999 – Acquired Frontier
Software• 2000 – Sales organisation
launched• 2001 – Global email support for
Backup Exec• 2004 – Global voice support for
Backup Exec
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So what’s the big deal with India?
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Why India for VERITAS Support?• 10 years of R&D experience• Experience with email support for 2 years• Increasing levels of enterprise system complexity• Increasing call volumes across all product lines• Improving infrastructure
– Telecoms– Facilities– HR practises– Global awareness
• Skills shortages around the world– Enterprise skills at a premium
• Customer segmentation needed– Enterprise customers demand closer intimacy with VERITAS– Backup Exec is a channel product– Cost per case for BE was escalating in the geographies
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Project - Amelioration
The act of relieving ills and changing for the better
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Key focus areas for Amelioration
• Programme Office approach• Global teamwork
– Management – Integration with the geographies – Escalation
• IT investment • Human Resource aspects
– Language capability– Accent neutralisation – Technical skills– Indian requirements
• Facilities
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Programme Office
• Methodology for major projects that require cross-functional teamwork
• Several key appointments– Program Manager – dedicated– Executive Sponsor – VP or above– Global track leads for major tracks
• Human Resources – hiring and selection• Operations• Facilities• Finance• IS&T• Communication• Lab• Training• Programme/change control
• SLA’s agreed for each track• Track Leads were held accountable for
progress and success• Weekly Project and Track updates with
traffic light indication of progress (Green, Yellow, Red)
• Monthly Exec Updates for status
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Global Teamwork
• New site required extensive Facilities and IT integration. • Programme Office ensured each track was held to
timescales and objectives.• Track Leads are measured on performance by the Exec
Sponsor• None performing Track Leads are replaced• Traffic light “Dashboard” weekly report shows status• Issues and owners are made visible at all levels in all
organisations
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Investments
• Voice over IP network– Piggy backed on existing comms infrastructure– Call routing via US and dedicated VoIP pipes to India
• 2 routes (Atlantic and Pacific) to reduce exposure• End to end latency testing for echo and delay correction
• Internal data network– Linked to global data network– Call logging systems (with replication) installed– Redundancy using R&D pipes if required
• Create programme budget with ROI required– Calculate and track ALL costs– Travel and training can easily get lost
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Human Resources
• Significant investment in skills– Matured from a hiring entity to retention organisation– Strategic development of human capital assets
• Campus hires• Foreign language capability • Spoken English (International) capability• Soft skills training and development
• Hiring process– Country wide advertisements – some regions not selected.– Campus’– Web and bureau’s– Internal contacts
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Facilities
• New site– Budgets – approvals can take a long time!– Power – regular power cuts requires TWO generators for fail
over– Fit out and furniture
• delays caused by customs, shipment mistakes from suppliers
• Catch up is easier as they will throw bodies at the problem
– Air conditioning– Classrooms– Breakout areas
• Call centre approaches are new to India
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Operations
• Make the team work together– Kick off meetings– Joint action plans– Training visits– Familiarisation visits– Escalation processes
• Sell the programme– Communication, communication, communication– Up, down, left and right– Monthly and consistent– FAQ’s– Bulletin boards– Answering questions – no “coffee break conversations”, make all
communication formal via updates.
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Key learning points
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Assume nothing
• Spend time finding great partners to work with• Just because someone says “Yes”, does not mean “Yes”
– Get commitment to dates and data– The devil ISIS in the details
• Quality is variable– Make sure everyone understands YOURYOUR quality expectations
and lives to them.– Do not accept second best
• Accept that India is emerging– Infrastructure is weak– Enterprise business skills are immature
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India business IS different
• Understand fully the differences between your region and India– Accept that you will have to fight for special considerations
• Transportation• Meal allowances• Vacation, flex time off, sickness
• Know your costs of hire and replacement– India is a very competitive marketplace– Jumping from job to job is common
• You need to find unique reasons for people to stay
– High levels of education bring high levels of ambition • Career paths are important
• Make sure timescales are realistic– Hiring is slow process– People with jobs may not show up for work