With the recent BSNL tie-up, you have entered the Indian market. How do you see your growth from here?
India is a very exciting market for us, especially in the telephony sector. Today, there are lot more opportunities with the upswing in allotment of spectrum here. 3G will also open up a host of opportunities for providing more content-based data.

What are the other sectors that Convergys is looking to explore?
There is a boom in cable and satellite (direct-to-home) services. We see a strong market opportunity, and we will pursue upgrading, billing, and so on, since this sector is also poised to mature with complex service offerings similar to that of telecom. Convergys will look to offer a cohesive set of services to those who have disparate systems of data handling.

The largest chunk of your business comes from the outsourcing segment. Has it been hit by the falling dollar? Does India make cost sense with global economies slowing down?
We still see a lot of potential, as before, in the call center business, and we are still strong on it. Most of our contracts are in the local currency, so we are hedged against dropping dollar rates. India is not only driven by cost but also by the English knowledge capabilities, so that would continue.

In terms of headcount, what are your growth plans in India?
Convergys will look to improve margins and add revenue in our outsourcing business. In the information management line of business, we are looking to grow with opportunities in India and the Apac region.

Could you provide some information on the testing center?
Convergys testing center in India is mainly for its in-house products. This has been largely successful. We have done a number of small deals on an experimental basis to test the software of our customers, names which we cannot reveal right now. Most of this is in the domain we already operate in. We are looking actively to generate revenue from testing center services.

Sushma Naik/CyberMedia News
maildqindia@cybermedia.co.in

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