Mumbai - First Impression

The ride down from Grand Hyatt to downtown was an eye opener. The road leading to the city centre parallels the metro. Along the way, we passed through shanty towns. Living quarter was little more than 3 feet deep and typically houses a family of 5 or 6. Family members would do their chores outside their homes and spilling onto the roads. Yet there is dignity in the way they go about their tasks and get on with their lives. The challenge is really when the unexpected occurs wiping out whatever possession they may have - and this will make it very difficult for them to get up on their feet and start all over again.

The downtown is filled with historical buildings and sites. We reached the Gateway of India and stepped into the Taj Hotel. It was a grand building and the interiors were well appointed, exuded a charm of an era gone past. Even for a first time visitor, one cannot fail to sense the magnificent and colourful past of India.

We proceeded along the Back Bay, also known as the Queen's Necklace, perhaps because of the brilliance from the street lights that dote along the bay as night fall. We stopped by the Oberoi Hotel for refreshment before proceeding towards the Raj Bhavan, the governor's mansion, located at the tip of the Mumbai coastline. It has a commanding view over Mumbai, and right behind it is the Malabar Hill, residences to the rich and famous.

The next day, we headed to the Bandra Kurla district, an up-and-coming new financial centre host to many MNCs. We then proceeded to JW Marriot, located along the Juhu Tara Road and next to the Juhu Beach. As we entered the foyer, we had a breathtaking view of the Arabian Sea. The hotel is very impressive, and the shopping boutiques boast of all the famous brands from the world over.

In the afternoon we headed to Hiranandani, Powai to visit a call centre complex. Call centres are housed in gleaming glass towers and is a growing phenomenon that powers India to the world scene as one of the key players in quality business process outsourcing (BPO). Presently, the Indian BPO industry employs 350,000 workers. The call centre we visited had a superior work environment, deploying state-of-the-art technologies. However the attrition rate in the industry is said to be high, and challenges include providing attractive pay scales with incentives, competency-based training, handling work stresses and healthcare, flexi-hours and career path for the workers.

Keywords: call centre, BPO, Bandra Kurla, Malabar Hill