BPO Rankings: 6 | WNS Global Services: Embracing IT

WNS is a leading pure play BPO globally and has never failed to
take pride in this fact. Yet, when it comes to applying IT where it mattersie,
in platform creationWNS Global Services leads from the front. While many
Indian BPO companies have used the acquisition route to build scale, get
customer access, and gain entry to new service lines, WNS has effectively used
that route to get platforms in micro verticals. While its Trinity acquisitions
gave it the Trinity mortgage platform, the PRG Airlines merger gave it the
Verifare airlines platform. In other words, like Wipros string of pearls
acquisition in IT, WNS has invested on engines of future growth, rather than
buying growth.

Nearly 30% of its revenues in FY 07 came from these
integrated platforms like Jade and Verifare (airlines), Trinity (mortgage), and
Flovate (auto claims). The Churchs Chicken relationship is an example of its
platform BPO success.

But, unlike many peers, WNS still does not claim to be an IT
services player. IT is a means to an end, and facilitates better delivery of BPO
services. And, that requires not just technology skills, but the right talent.

While Ramesh Shah took over as chairman, Aniruddh Limaye joined
as chief peoples officer; Arjun Singh as CEO of BFSI unit; Akos Csernus as
head of the Bucharest facility; Deborah Kops as the chief marketing officer; and
Anish Nanavaty as CEO of WNS Knowledge Services. Former CEO of Knowledge
Services, Amit Bhatia moved on to focus on talent management issues as part of
the CEOs officeanother industry-leading move from WNS.

WNS added twenty-five new clients during the year. Though Europe
contributed 62% of the revenues, North America was growing much faster, implying
a more uniform spread in the coming years.

Even as transformation and build-up was on, what grabbed
headlinesand rightfully sowas WNS listing on NYSE in July. One small
step for the company in its evolution toward a leading global BPO player, but a
giant leap for the Indian BPO industry, as WNS was the first Indian BPO to get
listed in the American bourses. DQ