What is it about life in a BPO that seems to makes an outsider think that the grass is greener on the other side? Ask a BPO employee and he will tell you how tough life is really! Work hours are long, deadlines are stringent and the office is an ocean! There is hardly any personal touch and the work environment seems so mechanical. I will talk about the odd hours of work separately!

The flip side is, the pay is good, and the offices are air-conditioned. None of us really have to bother with transportation hassles, since almost all companies provide transport to and from work. There are food courts and coffee shops to tank up when one wants. The fact that you get dependent on junk food is really not important! Working nights is fun in the beginning. After a while as the body retaliates, it gets tough. We BPO people seem to be missing out on all the fun because when our family and friends are awake, we sleep! I dont even want to get into what it does to ones biological rhythmn!

There is a huge hue and cry over the reliability of BPO Industry. Media has often launched scathing attacks on BPOs, with their limited knowledge. They talk about corruption and fraud in call centres. Why dont they stop to think that corruption is rampant everywhere in our country. Are they justified in blaming only this Industry?

This Industry is new and it is providing a livelihood to many. It has lit up many lives with a ray of hope. It is easing the unemployment problem. Cant we just let it grow?

- Raseel