Running a customer service center in India: The Dell Experience

Last updated on: May 26, 2006 at 5:35 pm By Desh Kapoor

Dell India's Operations Head in India Romi Malhotra talks about moving of Dell's Customer Service operations to India and the lessons that Romi has learnt over the years that they are using. Dell Computer says that it is so encouraged by the talent it is finding in India that it plans to double its workforce there during the next four years. Romi Malhotra, the director of Dell's Indian operations, has led the development of three call centers in India over the past five years. In this interview, Malhotra talks about the lessons he learned in recruitment, retention, and career development—lessons that have made Dell an employer of choice in India’s competitive labor market. Read more

50% of World's New R&D to be moved to India!

Last updated on: May 26, 2006 at 5:25 pm By Desh Kapoor

Despite the limitations on the infrastructure, the movement towards India is growing anyways!! These numbers (50%) of the R&D sites in next 3 years will be in India - are staggering by any standards!! Around two quarters of new research and development sites to be set up over the next three years will be in India, according to a new study by Booz Allen Hamilton and business school Insead. The survey of 186 companies worldwide found a general trend of innovation moving east and predicts that China and India are on the verge of overtaking Western Europe as the most important locations for foreign R&D for U.S. businesses. Read more

H1B cap to increase to 115,000

Last updated on: May 26, 2006 at 3:08 pm By Desh Kapoor

More Desis on their way to the US!! The US Senate has approved a landmark immigration reform bill that would give citizenship to millions of illegal persons and double the number of H1-B visas from the present 65,000, a move that would greatly benefit thousands of Indian software professionals. The Bill passed on Thursday provides for doubling the H1-B visas from the present 65,000 annually to about 115,000 and with a 20 per cent increase on an annual basis. Various software and technology companies like Microsoft and Intel have been pressurising the US government by threatening to move jobs abroad if it does not raise the cap on H1-B visas and allow more skilled workers into the country. Read more

How to Build a Business without Advertising

Last updated on: May 26, 2006 at 1:39 pm By Desh Kapoor

There is this Howto wiki - where people from all walks of life write on different issues. Here is one on how to build a business without advertising! I think this is useful. ====================== Steps 1. Join one or more business networking groups. 2. Do business with people who do business with you and let people that you do business with know that you would appreciate their business as well. 3. Become involved in your community - this serves your community well and it really expands your relationships at the same time. Read more

Men and Machines

Last updated on: May 26, 2006 at 1:30 pm By Desh Kapoor

Ours is the age that is proud of machines that think and suspicious of men who try to. Read more

Mathematics

Last updated on: May 26, 2006 at 1:29 pm By Desh Kapoor

Mathematics may be defined as the subject in which we never know what we are talking about, nor whether what we are saying is true. Read more

Tamil Nadu: the Bra Capital of India (World?)!!

Last updated on: May 26, 2006 at 12:03 am By Desh Kapoor

This was a strange stat I got from this news byte!! Here in Tamil Nadu State, where the changes are the fastest, global corporations are already taking advantage of this shift toward manufacturing. Victoria's Secret buys 6.5 million bras a year in this city, roughly one-tenth of its global total, from a factory run by Limited Brands, the parent company. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/19/business/worldbusiness/19factory.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin" target="_blank Read more

Man and Animals

Last updated on: May 25, 2006 at 11:44 pm By Desh Kapoor

The fact that man knows right from wrong proves his intellectual superiority to other creatures; but the fact that he can do wrong proves his moral inferiority to any creature that cannot. Read more

Starting a Day

Last updated on: May 25, 2006 at 11:43 pm By Desh Kapoor

Eat a live toad the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day. Read more

learning

Last updated on: May 25, 2006 at 11:41 pm By Desh Kapoor

Strange as it seems, no amount of learning can cure stupidity, and higher education positively fortifies it. Read more