Automation is increasingly being used as the weapon to fight off productivity issues and rising costs in contact centers, and also as a way to improve customer service. Deepak Gupta, Business Unit Head, Contact Center, WNS, throws light on what this implies for the contact center outsourcing industry.

GS: What does "Increasing Automation of Voice Processes" mean for the 
enterprise customer of BPO services?

DG: In my view, the Enterprise customers require reliable information which is speedy, efficient, pleasant andshould cost nothing. They do not really care about how this happens. Research confirms, that customers today like to be self-sufficient and this has led to the "Automation" revolution; but customers will be prompt to express dissatisfaction and prefer 'LIVE help' over automations which does not meet their requirements or expectations.

GS: What about the BPO service provider?

DG: It is important for BPO service providers to keep the customer at the core of everything they do. Voice is a costly option and Automation is helping in Contact Center Optimization. It also allows BPO service providers to re-organize the free resources in other strategic customer focused initiatives resulting in a WIN- WIN Solution. WNS is partnering with its clients on a continuous basis, to standardize, automate and innovate, to drive business value and deliver at a high end of value chain.

DG: GS: What is the value that the BPO provider will continue to bring to the table?

DG: With the growth of disruptive technologies, global delivery business models and the wave of IT-driven business innovation, transformational forces are at the core of successful businesses today. A more enlightened, strategic view of global outsourcing is starting to emerge and 'BPO Led- Transformation' will continue to bring value by focusing on sustainable business change, operational transformation and actionable insights. WNS has created a joint "Value Innovation Program" (VIP) with its clients for the definition, solutioning, planning, execution, and management of business transformation initiatives. The 'VIP' Program utilizes WNS's formal Business Transformation framework in combination with WNS's domain based Solutions Set to best address the transformation opportunity.

GS: When do you see automation moving to 60-70 percent level? 

DG: Automation is accelerating so fast that, in two years, we'll see close to 25 percent of the segment, approx $193B BPO market will be effectively automated. Non-Complex, Repeatable processes are most exposed and would be the first to get automated. We expect 60-70 percent automation to happen for the repeatable non complex processes, within the next 5 years.