What Are BPO Jobs? (Qualification and 6 Jobs To Explore)

Business Process Outsourcing or BPO means outsourcing a part of a business operation to a third-party vendor or external service provider. If you want to pursue a career in this industry, you can choose from a range of career opportunities. Learning more about BPO can help you decide if it is the right career choice for you. In this article, we will discuss what are BPO jobs, what skills and qualifications you need to do these jobs and how to prepare for a BPO interview.

What are BPO jobs?

BPO jobs are jobs in companies that provide outsourcing services to a business. For example, suppose a company's sales department hires an IT firm to help their employees with potential computer issues. In that case, it is outsourcing the IT process to a third-party vendor.

Types of BPO jobs

If you wish to enter the BPO industry, there are primarily two types of jobs:

Voice-based outsourcing

In a voice-based or back-office outsourcing, employees either troubleshoot their customer's problems or sell services and products to potential customers. Mostly, jobs are offsite and deal with customer care, finance, billing, accounting and data processing. It has two parts:

• Inbound process: employees in an inbound process handle all incoming calls to answer their queries or troubleshoot their problems. These employees try to resolve complaints on the phone by raising a suitable ticket or complaint about the issue.

• Outbound process: employees working in the outbound process have to call customers, pitch and sell the services or products of a particular company. For example, BPO employees working for a bank will call customers to sell their credit cards or insurance schemes. Therefore, it is essential to explain the company's product and services in a way it appeals to customers.

Non-voice based process

Non-voice based or front-office outsourcing jobs do not require an employee to attend or make phone calls. Employees in a non-voice process work on chats and emails to provide a solution to problems that are troubling a customer. So, this job requires a candidate to possess excellent writing and typing skills.

Advantages of a BPO job

Here are a few advantages of working in this industry:

• Always in demand: BPO jobs are in demand because companies from every sector, including healthcare, finance, technology, business management, manufacturing and education, can outsource a part of their business process.

• Faster growth: it allows you to choose from a range of career opportunities. Also, you get a chance to serve both domestic and international clients. It helps in improving your skillset and advances your career faster.

• Flexibility in work: if you want flexibility, a job in BPO provides excellent flexibility in terms of working hours and continuing education.

• Higher salary: the pay structure of entry-level jobs is higher when compared to other industries employing candidates with only a higher secondary degree.

Qualifications required for BPO jobs

The following qualifications required to get into the BPO industry:

Educational qualifications

For a voice process, the basic educational qualification is 10+2. But for a non-voice process, companies prefer hiring candidates who have completed their graduation. B.Com or B.Tech degree is preferable as these professionals handle finance, human resources, sales, accounting and purchase matters.

Skills

There are specific skills necessary for this job role. As you may interact with customers, employers prefer candidates with excellent communication skills. The job also requires fluency in speaking and a presentable voice. The ability to browse the internet, good typing skills, the ability to send and receive emails and expertise in word processing and spreadsheet can help you get hired faster. Also, many BPO jobs require a candidate to talk directly with customers and this requires patience at taking calls and replying to queries.

Related: Computer Skills: Definition and Example

How to prepare for a BPO interview

Follow these steps to prepare for your upcoming BPO interview:

1. Learn about the position

Before going for an interview, you need to prepare for some commonly asked BPO interview questions like “Why do you want to work in a BPO?" or “What attracts you towards a BPO?” So, learn about the responsibilities and duties of the position you are applying for. Start by thinking about why you are applying for a particular job role and why you feel you are a good fit for the job. Learning about the position will help you answer questions confidently during the interview.

2. Consider the skills necessary for the job

Read the job description to understand the basic skills required to accomplish everyday tasks. This might involve practising your communication skills, patience and listening skills. Also, BPO employees require basic computer skills to fulfil their responsibilities. The presence of these basic skills will make you a desirable candidate for any BPO job.

3. Practise for the interview

During a BPO interview, you may have to answer in-depth and behavioural questions related to your experience to decide if you are a good fit for the team. Questions like “what is the difference between outbound process and inbound process?” or “what do you understand by LPO and KPO?” or “what are the different types of BPO?” require advance practice.

Related: BPO Interview Questions (With Example Answers)

4. Learn about the company

Employers often prefer candidates who have researched their company, mission statement, long-term goals and work culture. Also, research the company's impact on the industry and what sets it apart from the competitors. If you have this information in hand, you can ask detailed and relevant questions to your potential employer.

5. Show eagerness to learn

Many BPO jobs require training on new processes. You have to learn new things to excel at the workplace. So, it is essential to show willingness and eagerness to learn during an interview. With your answers, try to reflect this attitude to get hired for a desirable job.

6. Dress appropriately

Deciding on what to wear for a BPO interview is as essential as answering correctly during the interview. Employers usually prefer business casuals. Collared shirt, dress pants, dark shoes and professional tops are a few dresses that can help you present yourself professionally to an employer.

Related: How to Prepare for a Job Interview

Top 6 BPO jobs

Working in the business process outsourcing industry can provide you with a range of job opportunities. Some of the most common but popular jobs in this industry are:

1. Customer care specialist

National Average Salary: ₹2,05,995 per year

Primary Duties: Customer care specialists process customer complaints related to a particular product or service. Companies usually outsource this role to third-party companies to ensure customer satisfaction. When working in the BPO industry, these professionals can work in education, retail, medical, manufacturing or different service providing companies.

2. Customer success manager

National Average Salary: ₹5,17,234 per year

Primary Duties: A customer success manager manages customers after they purchase from a company. They help a customer understand the product and services, answers customers' phone calls and provide support to customers. Also, they focus on creating an exceptional customer experience that helps in customer retention and increases loyalty to their brand.

3. Data collector

National Average Salary: ₹1,90,549 per year

Primary Duties: A data collector enters data into a database. These professionals ensure that the data collection source is reliable and accurate. They also examine the data and use different statistical software to create a data model for analysis.

4. Account payable clerk

National Average Salary: ₹3,57,169 per year

Primary Duties: Account payable clerks are responsible for completing payment transactions. These professionals receive, process, retrieve, verify, track and record purchases and orders. They also control and monitor a company's expenses and liabilities. A part of their workday may involve ensuring that a company receives credit for outstanding memos.

5. Bookkeeper

National Average Salary: ₹3,57,776 per year

Primary Duties: A bookkeeper maintains and records a businesses' financial transaction such as sales, expense and sales revenue. These professionals keep track of the general ledger by documenting debits and credits. A part of their workday involves preparing books for the accountant and preparing balance sheets, income statements and other financial reports.

6. Customer service representative

National Average Salary: ₹2,34,351 per year

Primary Duties: The primary duty of a customer service representative is to address a customer's problem and provide a solution in a timely and efficient manner. They interact with customers on the phone through chats or emails to resolve customer concerns. These professionals also help generate new sales leads that develop into new customers and identify customers' needs to achieve higher satisfaction.

Salary figures reflect data listed on Indeed Salaries at time of writing.