Call traffic soars at BPO centers as European travel disaster continues

Even as the volcanic ash cloud continues to ground and disrupt thousands of flights to and from Europe, BPO firms operating for the aviation industry are witnessing a steep rise in the volume of calls, at times thrice the normal intensity, from the anguished airline passengers. In fact, offshore Indian BPO firms like InterGlobe Technologies and Aegis have been engulfed by such calls during the last few days, compelling the management to request their call center agents to work for extra hours in order to manage the unexpected outpouring in call traffic.

Quoting the CEO of the travel technology solutions and travel BPO services InterGlobe Technologies, Vipul Shah, a website reports that the offshore BPO firm is flooded with work as the volumes of calls from the distressed airline passengers as well as the back-office processing jobs have increased three-fold since the catastrophe struck Europe disrupting air services. Such is the volume of calls that the BPO firm that provides voice-based and back-office support to intercontinental commercial airlines, including KLM, South African Airlines and Virgin Atlantic, has now shared out the calls among its call centers located in Mumbai, Gurgaon and Manila. According to Shah, the agents of the company are putting in extra hours of work to help the stranded passengers and inform them regarding the rescheduling as well as abandonment of flights and also in taking new reservations.

Meanwhile, call traffic from distressed airline passengers has witnessed a 2O per cent increase ay the BPO wing of the Essar Group, Aegis ever since the volcanic ash clouds affected the air services globally. Aegis managing director and CEO Aparup Sengupta said that the call volumes have swelled primarily owing to frequent cancellation of reservations as well as passenger inquests following the catastrophe. Another BPO catering to the airline industry that is facing a similar situation is WNS. According to the WNS, business unit chief, travel and leisure, Ambreesh Mahajan said that the volcanic explosion in Iceland has virtually affected the travel industry worldwide. The pressure is more on the airline industry owing to the customer service tasks they encounter in such situations.

While many may feel that such a situation, where the volume of work is multiplied, is a profitable proposition. However, the BPO firms disagree. They say that such situations are actually not economically worthwhile since the firms have to make arrangements for the accommodation, travel and other amenities for the employees who put in extra hours of work and this certainly is expensive.