Mumbai terror puts IT, BPO firms on high alert

The Mumbai terror attacks have once again put Indian IT and business process outsourcing (BPO) firms on high alert. Over the next four to five weeks, many of these firms plan to meet or video-conference with their clients to update them of the country’s security scenario.

India’s second largest IT firm Infosys Technologies, for instance, has increased security across its campuses. “We met the Karnataka government and police and have reiterated the need for agencies, which provide security to the private sector, to bear arms,” said T V Mohandas Pai, member of the board and director-human resources and head-administration, education & research, Infosys.

He further reiterated that terrorism has become a global phenomenon as people from other countries understand this happens throughout the globe.

Some IT companies are understood to have asked their state governments for armed personnel on their campuses.

Meanwhile, India’s largest BPO, Genpact has heightened its security measures to safeguard the employees and facilities across India. A message from Shekhar Sharma, Genpact’s global head of infrastructure & logistics to all employees, said, “Please ensure your I-cards are clearly displayed at all times and laptops, bags and personal belongings, and vehicles entering and exiting our premises will be thoroughly checked at all points.”

In other cases, though, life is running as usual. “We did receive a mail from the management to co-operate with security systems. But other than the fact that my bag is being checked thoroughly, I have seen no other change,” said an employee of a BPO firm in Mumbai.

Agreed a Microsoft employee. He said the company is now more stringent about cars being let in and personal checking and frisking are on a high.

On its part, the Union for Information & Technology Enabled Services (UNITES) UK and its counterpart in the US has requested all UK-based financial firms, which are outsourcing to their back-office works to call centres in India, to be flexible.

“We have requested all BPO centres in Mumbai to rise up to the occasion and ensure the safety of the employees, which should be of paramount importance rather than worrying about meeting the delivery deadline. In such a period of crisis, we are requesting the call centres to divert calls to other locations in India so that call volume in Mumbai does not go up,” said Karthik Shekhar, secretary general India, UNITES.

But the CEO of a leading European BPO firm said it aptly, “If India as a country does not put together a strong demonstrated action, we will not be taken seriously. As for the internal security at firms, the existing measures that had been taken for granted will become strict,” he said.