Spectramind may lose MS business
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/624357.cms TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2004 01:33:51 AM ] MUMBAI: Software giant Microsoft , which outsources a significant portion of voice-based support work to Indian vendors, could discontinue its existing relationship with BPO firm Wipro-Spectramind. According to sources in the know, one of the reasons why Wipro-Spectramind has given a subdued guidance and announced a drop in net employee additions is because of the likelihood of Microsoft pulling out. Wipro-Spectramind president and CEO Raman Roy told The Economic Times that the firm had not lost any customer. "We do not comment on any specific customer", he said. Wipro-Spectramind won a $10-million deal from Microsoft during the September 2003 quarter. The software company has been a Wipro customer for the past two years. Wipro-Spectramind admitted to difficulties in attracting and retaining talent while announcing its annual and quarterly numbers last week. "The net decrease of 156 employees in the BPO business in the last quarter has been because of a number of one-time projects executed during the Christmas season and one-off product launches closing down", the firm said. Wipro-Spectramind has 23 customers, up from 19 in the previous quarter, and 76 processes. Spectramind hired 4,194 people in the last fiscal. The firm accounts for close to 11% of Wipro's total revenues. The firm lost CapitalOne, a customer account which had 350 people working on it and another process involving nearly 400 people. A redeployment of 700 people as a result of this could have led to a drop in net additions, sources said. However, analysts expect a near term slowdown in the firm's business due to this. "Intense pressure on prices and on generating topline is being felt in the IT-enabled services space. More so at a time when existing clients are seeking reduction in rates", an analyst said. Spectramind may lose MS business SANGEETA KULKARNI TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2004 01:33:51 AM ] Continued...<< Previous | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Next >> "Intense pressure on prices and on generating topline is being felt in the IT-enabled services space. More so at a time when existing clients are seeking reduction in rates," an analyst said. Microsoft has around five third-party vendors that provide voice-based support services to it. A Microsoft spokesperson when contacted said: "Microsoft does not discuss its business relationships publicly." Wipro's relationship with Microsoft has four facets. Besides being the largest reseller and user of Microsoft products, it does research and development work for the company and also works with it in multiple client engagements. Wipro's near-shore (close to client premises) facility at Seattle, where Microsoft is headquartered, undertakes product development work for the company and its development facility at Hyderabad works on some of Microsoft's undisclosed products. Around 150 Wiproites work on Microsoft projects. However, Microsoft is not among Wipro's top 10 customers.

is this TRUE or FALSE
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-620432,curpg-1.cms BANGALORE: Wipro Spectramind, the BPO outfit of software major Wipro, faced by a dip in its strength at the end of the third quarter, is contemplating signing non-poaching agreements with 11 BPO firms across the country to counter 'high staff attrition'. "We have signed non-poaching agreements with nine firms and plan to sign similar agreements with 11 more firms this year," Wipro Spectramind Chairman and Managing Director Raman Roy said, while briefing reporters on Friday said. The company's strength went down to 9,300 in the fourth quarter ending April 2004, net decline of 156 people, as against 9,456 people in December 2003. Wipro Spectramind is the largest BPO player in the country, with a staff strength which is more than 60 per cent of its nearest competitor. "The attrition rates are as high as 100 per cent," Roy said, asserting that 'fatigue' was not the reason for people quitting BPO firms, but switch for "short gains" in salary in rival companies. Firms witnessing their staff jumping to rival firms enter into non-poaching agreements that stipulate informing the BPO firm from where they are hiring the staff from and a total ban on hires during training periods. "People move from one company to the next and to the third for short gains to say that there is an industry fatigue. It is surprising as we are a four-year-old industry. Nearly three million people work in call centres in the US for over 15 years and there is no fatigue there," Roy said. Female employees who get married quit the industry, as it is not yet accepted for married women to work night shifts, Roy added.

Days of flusteration as usual
Today had to work over time !! without extra pay. Wipro makes people work just because they know they can take advantage of their name.a Theres some thing really wrong at dell !! The sales guys con the customers and tell them they have at home service and the dont!!! they get a contract which says flexb which gives the impression at "AT HOME SERVICE" but the contract in fine print really means that if any part goes bad dell could send a technician to replace it. But ive never see the problems dell computer users have had ever!! a brand new hard drive crasking . Multiple blue screens with registrt error on windows "SHIT" XP!! dell is screwing them selves up by keeping those shitty conextant modems and windows xp which seem to crash on all new machines especially 2400. And getting a system exchange is a night mare. Ive seen old people haveing to replace hard drives and do troubleshooting for hours!! liek 15 hours calling 10-15 times and novies made to do such tough stuff ive never seen any one else any where in the world made to do . I really feel sorry for them . wish i could have done more......... But american are the stingiest(misers) ive even seen and keep saying Ive paid for it and i should get it. the lose the CD's which come with the computer and then want a new one Free!!. The go on the intenrnet get spyware and viruse and want us to fix it for them BECAUSE they paid for them.Its like a car they buy a car and then crash the car and want the technician to fix it for them because they paid for it .sheesh Now back to wipro supposed to be the biggest company but it sucks at people management. the contract stipulates when you join that you need to work 8 hours / 5 days a week. They make you work 55-60 hours a day . People there get 200$-300$ max which they get 8 $ per call from dell. The TL(team leaders ) are useless they just sleep and kinds just stroll about and get a share of what the techs make (with the techs blood and sweat).Wish there were no TL (assholes) and the tech really go with they deserved. NOw the Quality guys use netbus pro!! a trojan to keep tabs on the tech.You constantly have the internet going out and the beeping in the phone where you have to strain to here the customer thanks to the quality guys. You have to ask permission for a break to piss to shit and to eat . In FACT you dont have permission to do all that WHY!! because billable minutes is what wipro is after the cash coq the more calls the tech takes the more money they make so screw if you want to shit , pee or anything .