Category: Kharcha paani

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Trends

Mumbai losing call centre business to Philippines?

Mumbai and other Tier I cities are fast losing the voice and call centre business to Philippines, finds a study.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Mumbai has a sizeable number of call centre businesses – or so we think. If a recent study is to be believed, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai may be losing its BPOs and call centres to Philippines.

“India is currently losing about 70 per cent of all incremental voice and call centre business to competitors like Philippines and Eastern Europe, and unless the domestic BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) industry diversifies the delivery footprint to take advantage of low-cost centers, our competitors will further consolidate their position,” says the study conducted by KPMG and ASSOCHAM. 

“It is estimated that in the ongoing decade, India might lose about $30 billion in terms of foreign exchange earnings to Philippines which has become the top destination for Indian investors, thus the need to reduce costs and make operations leaner is increasingly becoming significant across the BPO industry,” said DS Rawat, Secretary General of ASSOCHAM while releasing the findings of the study.

Reportedly, even a number of Indian firms have also set up substantial operations in Philippines which has a large pool of well-educated, English-speaking, talented and employable graduates (about 30 per cent graduates in Philippines are employable unlike 10 per cent in India where the training consumes considerable amount of time).

“Employees in Philippine’s call centers speak English fluently with a neutral accent, which is what customers look for and that is something missing in Indian accents and that is a prime reason why BPO business is thriving in that country,” said Rawat. “Cultural proximity to the US together with availability of talented manpower are key reasons why BPO companies prefer expanding their operations in Philippines.”

Expansion of non-English BPOs in Tier-2 and Tier-3 centers, which can provide services to the telecom and aviation sectors at low costs, will increasingly play significant role in growth of domestic outsourcing industry, further noted the study.

“Lower attrition rate in smaller towns is a big positive owing to lower recruiting and training costs, while there is comparatively high attrition rate of 30-35 per cent in tier I cities,” said Rawat, quoting from the study. “Besides, even transportation costs for BPO employees and real estate prices in smaller cities are lower as compared to the metros.”

Cities like Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Coimbatore, Dehradun, Jaipur, Kozhikode, Nagpur, Nashik, Palakkad and others can help meet 50-60 per cent of projected talent requirement of BPO industry over the next five years, the study added. In order to provide the content in local language there is need to address challenges of fonts, poor bandwidth and the sector specific need based services should be offered.

Besides, projects like the National e-governance Plan (NeGP), the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)  and other government projects are likely to give a fillip to the domestic BPO sector in smaller cities and towns if the industry is able to tap the talent successfully.

The decision to set up BPO centers in Tier 2 and 3 cities requires striking the right balance between all elements and a patient, long-term approach is the key, added the ASSOCHAM-KPMG study.

 (Picture courtesy thehindu.com)

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Kharcha paani

Mall tenants shifting from Mumbai to smaller cities

More mall tenants are moving to smaller cities, which promise better returns. Mumbai and other metros are seeing this trend.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Mumbai’s spiralling real estate costs and high inflation are jointly pummelling shopping mall tenants – they are now shifting out of pricey Mumbai and other metros’ malls for locations in Tier II and III cities, finds a recent survey by ASSOCHAM (Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry in India).

“Under pressure of high rentals and low footfalls, one-third of retail tenants at the shopping malls in the large cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata are shifting in tier-II and III cities like Nagpur, Jaipur, Pune, Indore, Lucknow, Ludhiana and Chandigarh among other such cities,”, the survey reveals. Titled ‘Shopping malls increasingly losing shine in big cities’, the trend survey adds that as per estimates, roughly 300 to 350 malls came up in the country over the last two years but 75 to 80 per cent of the spaces in these malls lie vacant. Around the same time, as many as 95 malls have shut shop, according to the survey.

shopping in Mumbai“The major three core benefits for the retailer-tenants to move to smaller cities are lower operational costs and comparatively lesser competition and the novelty value still left in these areas where even the nearby rural population is thronging the air-conditioned halls and getting the taste of comfortable shopping,” says Rana Kapoor, President, ASSOCHAM.

Other such cities where mall-based retailers are moving include Goa, Kochi, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Mysore, Coimbatore, Trivandrum, Guwahati, Ahmedabad and Surat and they still hold more potential for growth. “High cost of operation, economic slowdown and wearing down of the novelty [associated with malls] have all combined to reduce the number of foot falls in the malls in big cities. One of the main reasons for the high rentals in the big city malls is the exorbitant land prices and high development costs. Thus, in the foreseeable future, making such malls profitable ventures will remain a challenge,” said Kapoor.

In Tier II and tier III cities, there is greater scope for growth.  Also, larger chunks of land are available in these cities compared with metros, and at lower cost. The shopping trends in metro cities have influenced the consumer behaviour in Tier II and III cities that are now witnessing a major shift from conventional trader-run standalone shops to larger format retail malls.

The trend can be attributed to factors like the dynamic change in the shopping trend, average spending power of the socio-economic classes in the Tier II to VI cities, demand of various products under one roof, increase in brand consciousness are a few factors that multi-brand discount franchising stores drives on, adds the ASSOCHAM survey.

(Pictures courtesy gyaandarpan.com, www.hg2mumbai.com. Images are used for representational purpose only)

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Trends

Mumbai school students are heading overseas

Exchange programmes are slowly becoming popular with school students and parents alike, widening their horizons and enhancing their cultural experience.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Students these days have several things going for them – unconventional work options while they study, a multitude of courses to choose from, and most importantly, the opportunity to travel to foreign countries on short stints as exchange students.

Shubhra BharadwajIt is this last that is slowly picking up pace in our country – and Mumbai is particularly responsive to the trend of students travelling to distant shores to gain life experience and a chance to study other cultures up close. The Metrognome spoke to Ferriswheel’s founder Shubhra Bharadwaj (in pic on left) to gain more insights into the trend.

Excerpts from the interview:

What is the response from Mumbai students like, to the CEPs (Cultural Exchange Programmes)that you plan?

The response is phenomenal. We have used word of mouth as our marketing tool and it has offered extremely satisfying success on all fronts. Schools have supported us whole-heartedly and even the feedback from the people has been great.

Currently, students in Mumbai or any other part of India are not completely aware of such student exchange programes except the ones who have already gone on such programmes. We hope to create more awareness among kids, schools and parents about the benefits of our CEPs for children.

Can you describe the first CEP you planned? Which was the country the students visited?

This first International Children’s Festival was organised in 1996 where the children’s group was taken to Turkey to celebrate the National Children’s Day on April 23. It is the Ferriswheel Youth Ensemble presents- Ticket To Bollywood (5)world’s largest children’s festival that has seen participation from over 30,000 children from 116 different countries since its inception by Kamal Ataturk. Each year close to 50 countries participate in this festival. The gala performance is and was telecast live on all Turkish channels.

The prestigious event bestowed the honour and privilege on individually selected Indian children representing the team, to meet the Prime Minister and President of Turkey, the Honourable Mayor and Governor of Gaziantep, as well the Head of Turkish Parliament, a moment of pride for India.

So children also get to meet heads of State in the countries they visit?

Every time we travel under our CEPs, the children are taken to meet various dignitaries like the Governor and the Mayor of the host city and other heads of States. Every year one child from each participating country is chosen to meet the Prime Minister and President of the host state and is flown in a chartered aircraft. The event gets covered by the local press and media followed by a special dinner for the children.

A few of the heads that we have met earlier through our CEPs are the Prime Minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoðan, the President of Turkey, Abdullah Gül, the Mayor of Izmir city, Aziz Kocaoðlu and Governor of Izmir city, M Cahit KIRAÇ.

What do students and their parents look for in a programme of this sort?

They are looking for education through travel, friends, carnivals, different cultures, sports, fun and international exposure. These exchange programmes are short dream lives that children and youth experience towards a future that is wholesome, open-minded and confident. Children get the unique experience of living with the host families and experience their culture on a first-hand basis. More importantly, they get an opportunity to exhibit their culture and represent their country on an extremely prestigious platform.

The objective of every parent and every school is to provide a child with the experiences and tools to develop holistically and learn to be a ‘global citizen’. While parents look for learning and their child becoming more responsible, students look for it as an opportunity to meet children of different countries, broaden their horizons, learn to adapt to new cultures and having fun.

Ferriswheel Youth Ensemble presents- Ticket To Bollywood (2)Thus, such programmes help children develop holistically and learn to be ‘global citizens’. The child learns to be independent and confident, becomes responsible, overcomes prejudices and pre-conceived notions about people of different cultures, gets to intermingle and make friends with children from all across the world. Also, the cultural exchange programme certificate is a great addition to their resume as it helps them in admissions abroad.

Of all the States and cities in India, from where do you see maximum participation? 

We have a strong base in Gujarat and Mumbai for years and now we will be looking at operations pan India. We have a tie up with Italy, Turkey, USA, Canada, UK, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Czech Republic and France for the programme.

How are foreign students able to adjust to life in India?

We only take a group of children from India to International festivals across the globe. We do not invite their children over to our country. The reason why this programme is called Exchange Programme is that the children live with the host families and interact with many children from other countries.

Please describe an interesting incident from the CEPs, which has remained with you till date.

Ferriswheel Youth Ensemble was awarded the best performing group trophy at a prestigious International Youth Festival in Canada through public voting. Our Executive Producer, CEP, Sabeena Kapur fondly remembers her CEP trip to Taiwan. During that trip, the children were sharing their memorable moments with us and one of them went up to her with a handmade card that said, “I don’t miss home because of you and whenever I will celebrate Mother’s Day, I shall think of you.” We were truly touched.

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Become

With pluck and a wide smile

Shreya Naik was just 20 when she signed her first artist. Today, she works with prestigious venues all over India.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

She was all of 20 when she started her own business – she had no money, no experience, and no team. “But I had a lot of confidence,” Shreya Naik (25) grins. “When I told my parents I wanted to start my own business as an artist manager, they were stunned. They provided me all the emotional support I needed before I took the first step – and that was the most crucial thing at the time. I started my business on Facebook.”

That kind of seemingly insane confidence, stemming from her stint in advertising and her “keeda for scouting and helping untapped talent” bode well for Shreya, who started Dream Makers Entertainment in 2011 and who did most of her initial work with The Blue Frog, Mumbai, for whom she handles live music programming today. “I can’t really say why I got into artist management exactly. Probably my background in promotion and marketing helped,” she says.

The start

It could all have gone downhill for Shreya – she had no background in artist management, she had no inkling of latest music trends, she didn’t have a portfolio to boast of. “I had no idea of international music. As a child, I watched cartoons in Hindi,” she grins. “So I would be totally lost when musicians would discuss music. I couldn’t even tell the names of all the Pink Floyd band members.”

But, she reasoned, she could learn on the job. “The first artist I signed up was Nigel Rajaratnam. He was also very new. And the first place I sold my pitch to was The Blue Frog. They were really nice to me and quite receptive. My first gig happened with them and funnily enough, most of my work has revolved around them and continues to do so. Now, we work with all small and big music venues across the country,” she explains. She has managed artists like Vasudha Sharma (of Asma fame), apart from about 25 others.

Today, Dreammakers has a team of four handling different aspects of artist management, and puts up gigs all over the country. The company holds the reputation of being one of the best artist management firms in the country today.

On the job

Shreya brought her own creativity and empathy to the job – not having done any of it before probably helped. “I figured that you With Vasudha Sharmadidn’t really need to be married to feel like a wife, you don’t need to have children to feel like a mother. I get really involved with my artists and I love to see them succeed. That’s how I work, at whatever I do – I just go out there and give it my all. And it works well for me,” she says.

Her inexperience could have tripped her up at some point, but she says she has lucky to “never have been caught.” She explains, “Of course, my unprofessionalism also showed up sometimes. I learnt to follow up a phone confirmation with an email. Then there were times when some of my artists suddenly left me for other managers. I’ve shed a lot of tears but I’ve also learnt so much.”

Why do it at all

Apart from the creative perks of the job, the monetary compensation is good as well. “Typically, an artist manager makes anywhere between 10 to 20 per cent of whatever the artist makes. But if the artist’s fee is huge, the manager must be open to taking a lower earning since the overall amount is larger,” Shreya says. “Also, you have to decide after a while how you want to do things – do you have a real find on your hands who can be the sole client you represent? Or do you need to have a variety of artists on your list? This is a decision you will need to make at some point,” she adds.

A person preparing for this profession must also do his or her research well. “An artist manager has to develop sound knowledge about the artist’s work, its strengths, the venues he or she will perform at, the best venues for that artist, the audience, the kind of music the venue is best suited to. The manager has to be on the ball constantly to produce the best results,” she explains.

She adds that a parallel profession for artist managers is music curation or programming. “Most artist managers are curators and programmers as well, it comes with the job. It is another avenue to make good money,” Shreya says.

What’s next

Shreya is currently focussing on her new passion – decoupage, (an Italian art form that involves collaging on any surface), and she has started a new firm, Artsy Fartsy, for the same. “I’m surrounded by music all the time, so this is a good break for me,” she says, adding that she is currently scouting for graphic artists and doodlers. “It helps me unwind and explore my creativity. I’ve been backstage all this time, now it’s my time to be the artist,” she quips.

Shreya can be reached at shreyarnaik@gmail.com.

(Pictures courtesy Shreya Naik)

Categories
Trends

Mumbai gets laparoscopy-only surgical facility

The newly opened Khar-based centre will offer surgeries across many diverse specialities under one roof, and will use 3D technology.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Laparoscopy is fast becoming the preferred option for surgery for several people; be in cancer or a simple cosmetic procedure, surgeons too, are looking for ways to use laparoscopy in their surgeries.

Mumbai recently got its own all-laparoscopy surgical facility at Khar. The Beams Hospital claims to be a pioneer in laparoscopic gyneac surgery, and was inaugurated by Niraj Manglam, CEO Beams Hospital  and founder of UK-based Nu Cosmetic Clinic, apart from Dr Mahesh Patwardhan, chief laparoscopic gyneac surgeon from London.

The center will deliver the entire gamut of services spanning across different specialties, including bariatric surgery, laparoscopic surgery, maternity, general surgery, gynecology, and cosmetic surgery. The facility has 18 boutique beds and is spanned over four floors, and includes three HDU/ICU beds.

The surgeries at the facility will be carried out using the 3D technology.

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Trends

Senior citizens will use NOTA option this election?

Associations of senior citizens threaten to tell their 1 crore members to exercise NOTA option if their demands are unmet.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Though they are not considered to be a part of mainstream society – and hence, there are not many policies implemented or infrastructure devised to suit their needs – but when one thinks about it, senior citizens form a considerable part of the country’s population.

And if this population decides to hit back at the Government, there is the potential to do some serious harm.

NOTAKeeping this in mind, the office bearers of several notable senior citizen associations in the country recently met to press for long-pending demands. All India Senior Citizens Confederation (AISCCON), Federation of Senior Citizens Confederation of Maharashtra (FESCOM), Association of Senior Citizens Organisation of Pune (ASCOP), HelpAge India and the International Longevity Centre (ILC) were a part of the meeting.

“Seeing the apathy of the Government with regard to senior citizens’ issues, especially, with reference to the changing of the age definition of senior citizens from 60 to 65 years, a resolution was passed at this meeting. It was decided that 10 per cent of seniors would use the NOTA option for voting this election if their demand to lower this age limit is not met at the earliest,” said Anjali Raje, Executive Director, ILC.

She added, “When we realise that 10 per cent of the total population translates in to nearly 20 per cent of the voting population, this makes a big difference and when this big vote bank does not vote for any particular party, but uses the NOTA option, then the [political] parties would be the ones impacted.”

As per a resolution passed during the meeting, “The Government of Maharashtra has not allocated any amount in the State Budget for 2014-2015. The Action Group therefore recommends that 10 per cent of the total budget allocated to the Department of Social Justice, Government of Maharashtra, be spent for senior citizens.” If the Government fails to meet these demands, the Action Group will ask its members – numbering over 1 crore in the country – to exercise the NOTA option while casting their vote this election.
Do you think it is fair to influence members of senior citizen associations on the issue of casting their votes for political parties or using the NOTA option? Tell us in the comments section below.
(Picture courtesy www.thehindu.com, silverinnings.blogspot.com)
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