India Calling - Past Paper - PDF

## Part 2: Exercise 1 Read the following article about company telephone centres (or 'call centres') in India, and then answer the questions on the opposite page. ## India calling - A world map shows the locations of Canada, USA, UK, India, Australia and New Zealand. - Arrows point from each cou...

## Part 2: Exercise 1 Read the following article about company telephone centres (or 'call centres') in India, and then answer the questions on the opposite page. ## India calling - A world map shows the locations of Canada, USA, UK, India, Australia and New Zealand. - Arrows point from each country to India. Percentages associated with some countries are: - Canada: 6% - USA: 39% - UK: 33% - Australia: 20% - New Zealand: 2% ***Calls to call centre in India*** If you live in Australasia, Canada, North America or the UK, the next time you speak to your insurance company for information or you book an air ticket by telephone or even deal with your bank, don't assume that their representatives are in an office in your own country - they could be in India! It sounds incredible but many companies have already moved their telephone sales and enquiry departments all the way to 'call centres' in India... Unbelievable? Many people think it is a sensible decision: costs in India are lower and the workforce is young and keen. For example, in one particular call centre office in Delhi, it can be 25 degrees Celsius outside and night time, but inside the cool, air-conditioned office it is still very busy. This company employs 3,000 telephonists, and over 1,000 young graduates apply for every job vacancy. miles away from their customers? Customers might be worried if they thought they were dialling India. They might be visualising huge bills, perhaps, or they might be anxious if they thought their company was trading so far away from home. The staff don't say that they are calling from India unless asked. Then their standard reply is, "Guess". If customers do find out where they are calling from, they are usually fascinated by the time difference and how late the employees in India are working. However, customers are more concerned with the high level of service provided rather than where the call is coming from. The working conditions in this attractive office are good - there's a doctor and a huge, subsidised canteen on site - it's like being at college again and so many people want to work there. Each day, staff have a meeting before beginning their shift on the telephone. They discuss the weather across the world - the most favoured topic discussed with their customers is typically the rain in the West. Foreign newspapers are on-line, ready for employees to be up-to-date with current affairs to help them when talking to their customers. Clocks on the walls show the time all round the world at a glance. So why don't these employees admit they might be 4,000 When the employees leave the call centre to go home, they suddenly go from a global view back into the local Indian night.