Suggestion and tips for opening a call center in Islamabad.

Moonraker

Voter (50+ posts)
I will be arriving in Pakistan (Islamabad) on August 21 to help open and train people for a call center serving businesses in north America.

Your tips and suggestion are needed and welcomed specially in the area of:

Availability and condition of hi-speed internet and seamless back up.

Skills and education level of people with regard verbal communication of grads.

Accounting and call taking for Taxi and Courier industries

Any tips are welcomed.

Also good places to visit

Thanks
 
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Okara

Prime Minister (20k+ posts)
Good to bring this business in Pakistan. U must consider alternative power sources and internet reliability. Karachi could be a best fit for better internet service but power may be bigger issue.
I beleive that u can train people but can't change. So select people with righ attituade and then train them.
 

dildar

MPA (400+ posts)
اگر تم لندن میں ایک گھنٹے کیلئے رکتے ہوے جاو تو میرا ایک پیکٹ لیتے جانا کچھ چیزیں ہیں میں نے پاکستان فیملی کو بھجوانی (hmm)ہیں
 

Mehrushka

Prime Minister (20k+ posts)
Off topic but purana hisab baqi hai.....see..Osama was not killed in abbotabad time proved me right(bigsmile) as for call centre hire pti supporters they're free nowadays since judicial commission threw out imran khan rigging allegations:biggthumpup:
 

Talha Asif

Councller (250+ posts)
Internet Service in Islamabad better than any other city of Pakistan even Karachi & Lahore.

For Internet:
Nayatel or PTCL corporate services.

For Office Location:
Blue Area, F-8, F-10, F-11, G-8, G-7, I-8, I-9, I-10, Commercial Area Rawalpindi, DHA Business Avenue, Chaklala Scheme 3 Rawalpindi, Saddar Rawalpindi.

Places for visiting:
Faisal Mosque, Pir Sohawa, Damn-e-Koh, Lake View Park, Shakarparian, Lok Virsa, Fatima Jinnah Park F-9, Pakistan Monument, Shahdara, KhanPur Dam, Simly Dam, NUST, Ayub National Park, Jinnah Park Rawalpindi, Islamabad Club, SaidPur Village.

For Shopping:
Centaurus Islamabad, Super Market F-6, Jinnah Super Market F-7, F-10 Markaz, Commercial Area Rawalpindi, Saddar Bazar Rawalpindi.

For Eating:
Tehzeeb Bakers Islamabad & Rawalpindi, Tehzeeb Restaurant F-8 Islamabad, KC Grill F-7 Islamabad, Savour Foods Blue Area Islamabad, New york Pizza.

For Driving:
Margalla Road Islamabad, 9th Avenue Islamabad, 7th Avenue Islamabad, Islamabad Express Highway, Murree Road (Faizabad to Kashmir Chowk), Park Road Chak Shahzad.
 
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ptilover788

MPA (400+ posts)
اگر تم لندن میں ایک گھنٹے کیلئے رکتے ہوے جاو تو میرا ایک پیکٹ لیتے جانا کچھ چیزیں ہیں میں نے پاکستان فیملی کو بھجوانی (hmm)ہیں
ayyan ali samjha hye usko
 

Kamboz

Senator (1k+ posts)
I had trained with TRG in lahore during 2004.... there is abundance of people who grew up overseas, you should have no issues with that . They also had a american lady to train people for English accent.
If you can email me at : [email protected] , I have someone who has helped set up a center before. I can forward you his particulars .
 

ryzvonusef

MPA (400+ posts)
Where in Islamabad?

Rent in PWD/Soan Garden/Other areas of Islamabad Highway are relatively cheaper, so you can get better facilities. Internet is decent, not perfect, but still not bad. Electricity outage is also low, but not zero.

You will have to have to setup UPS/generator system, but it's manageable.

Talk to NayaTel or PTCL for dedicated fiber line, they will help you, since you will be using a LOT of bandwidth.

I have heard of people running such centers in Bahria/DHA.

As for rates, what i hear that minimum wage for call centers is 15,000 p.m. plus commission over calls (something like 100/- per successful call)

Since call centers run at night (to match US/UK times) Mostly it's highschool/college students, Again, somewhere like Islamabad Highway societies, you will get such people with passable english skills.


Be ready for high turnover, call center job is for pocket money, so people come and go.

There isn't much money in run of the mill call centers, smart people are diversifying into offering other outsourced work, like financial work etc.

----

Let me know how it turns out.
 
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cisco

MPA (400+ posts)
Well done, good Job, what kind of call centre ..? normal customer services or some IT related..?
 

Moonraker

Voter (50+ posts)
Off topic but purana hisab baqi hai.....see..Osama was not killed in abbotabad time proved me right(bigsmile) as for call centre hire pti supporters they're free nowadays since judicial commission threw out imran khan rigging allegations:biggthumpup:

While I had the time of and had thought about it and came to the conclusion that you were right all aloing:d6c:
 

Moonraker

Voter (50+ posts)
Where in Islamabad?

Rent in PWD/Soan Garden/Other areas of Islamabad Highway are relatively cheaper, so you can get better facilities. Internet is decent, not perfect, but still not bad. Electricity outage is also low, but not zero.

You will have to have to setup UPS/generator system, but it's manageable.

Talk to NayaTel or PTCL for dedicated fiber line, they will help you, since you will be using a LOT of bandwidth.

I have heard of people running such centers in Bahria/DHA.

As for rates, what i hear that minimum wage for call centers is 15,000 p.m. plus commission over calls (something like 100/- per successful call)

Since call centers run at night (to match US/UK times) Mostly it's highschool/college students, Again, somewhere like Islamabad Highway societies, you will get such people with passable english skills.


Be ready for high turnover, call center job is for pocket money, so people come and go.

There isn't much money in run of the mill call centers, smart people are diversifying into offering other outsourced work, like financial work etc.

----

Let me know how it turns out.

I am not familliar with its geography, its located at Main St. Physically its all set up, people hired for training for the period of six month.

15,000 seems like low wage for well educated person. There is no commission but we are offering starting salary more than double. We got to achieve high retention rate.
 

Moonraker

Voter (50+ posts)
Internet Service in Islamabad better than any other city of Pakistan even Karachi & Lahore.

For Internet:
Nayatel or PTCL corporate services.

For Office Location:
Blue Area, F-8, F-10, F-11, G-8, G-7, I-8, I-9, I-10, Commercial Area Rawalpindi, DHA Business Avenue, Chaklala Scheme 3 Rawalpindi, Saddar Rawalpindi.

Places for visiting:
Faisal Mosque, Pir Sohawa, Damn-e-Koh, Lake View Park, Shakarparian, Lok Virsa, Fatima Jinnah Park F-9, Pakistan Monument, Shahdara, KhanPur Dam, Simly Dam, NUST, Ayub National Park, Jinnah Park Rawalpindi, Islamabad Club, SaidPur Village.

For Shopping:
Centaurus Islamabad, Super Market F-6, Jinnah Super Market F-7, F-10 Markaz, Commercial Area Rawalpindi, Saddar Bazar Rawalpindi.

For Eating:
Tehzeeb Bakers Islamabad & Rawalpindi, Tehzeeb Restaurant F-8 Islamabad, KC Grill F-7 Islamabad, Savour Foods Blue Area Islamabad, New york Pizza.

For Driving:
Margalla Road Islamabad, 9th Avenue Islamabad, 7th Avenue Islamabad, Islamabad Express Highway, Murree Road (Faizabad to Kashmir Chowk), Park Road Chak Shahzad.

Thanks a lot I will refer to it when I am there.
 

Moonraker

Voter (50+ posts)
I had trained with TRG in lahore during 2004.... there is abundance of people who grew up overseas, you should have no issues with that . They also had a american lady to train people for English accent.
If you can email me at : [email protected] , I have someone who has helped set up a center before. I can forward you his particulars .

Call center is ready people hired training begins late August
 

Moonraker

Voter (50+ posts)
Good to bring this business in Pakistan. U must consider alternative power sources and internet reliability. Karachi could be a best fit for better internet service but power may be bigger issue.
I beleive that u can train people but can't change. So select people with righ attituade and then train them.

I am also concerned about internet reliability as well.
 

ryzvonusef

MPA (400+ posts)
I am not familliar with its geography, its located at Main St. Physically its all set up, people hired for training for the period of six month.

15,000 seems like low wage for well educated person. There is no commission but we are offering starting salary more than double. We got to achieve high retention rate.


"Main St." is rather vague, I can't recall such a place in Islamabad, could you tell the name of the road or sector or something?

As for pay, yes, it's low, because as I said, callcenter is not usually taken as a dedicated job, not are they interested in hiring the most educated people, because retention is usually not seen as their goal.
 

Moonraker

Voter (50+ posts)
"Main St." is rather vague, I can't recall such a place in Islamabad, could you tell the name of the road or sector or something?

As for pay, yes, it's low, because as I said, callcenter is not usually taken as a dedicated job, not are they interested in hiring the most educated people, because retention is usually not seen as their goal.

I tried to google the mailing address at 673 Main street. I don't see exact location but I do see Main St. Its not very long. I will find out when I get there.