Source: Associated Press
MUMBAI, INDIA, December 30, 2001: Late at night the chattering youngsters, many dressed in Western-style casual clothes go to a “shop floor” whose walls and pillars are adorned with colorful posters. They settle down behind computers, pull on headphones and spend several hours speaking English with an American accent. These 18- to 26-year-olds working for eFunds Corp unit E-Funds International (India) handle direct telemarketing calls from customers halfway around the globe for U.S.-based call center operator West TeleServices. India is aiming to become “the world’s back-office.” A McKinsey study has estimated e-enabled services could be worth over half a trillion dollars globally by 2008. With starting monthly salaries of $400, the opportunities are good for many of India’s job-seeking graduates.