Technical support has got a much greater role to play now

What role has Microsoft played in evolving tech support

in India



Lot of investments are getting into technical support. Technical support has

got a much greater role than many years ago in how products get designed. We are

trying to provide more value. As an industry, tech support is not a huge one.

What is the kind of work being done at Microsoft GTSC?



The kind of work that Global Technical Support Centers (GTSC) does is very

deep from a technology perspective. Initially it started off as a pilot. We

thought well look at about 150 people. Today, we have 1,200 odd people

supporting customers and partners globally. We primarily do two kinds of work at

our Bengaluru facility. One is the consultant kind of work where we educate, and

provide guidance primarily focused on Microsoft partners..

How much was the tech support industry affected due to recession last year

and what were the strategies in place by Microsoft?



As a business, there was no direct impact on us. We did not cut down the

headcount or reduce compensation. The primary reason is that we are a demand led

business and the demand is based on not just new investments but on existing

ones as well. There has not been a huge impact on the existing investments. So,

we were stable in terms of headcount wise right through the recessionary period.

What are the essential skill sets that Microsoft GTSC looks for?



One we look for a troubleshooting skills. Today a large portion of the

Indian industry are software developers. A software developers job is to

convert a set of specifications into a syntax. So that is the main requirement

for a software developer. We give scenarios to engineers and ask them to come up

with solutions. We have multiple grounds of technical and non technical

interviews to determine the capability. In addition to technical aptitude, we

look for communication capabilities..

What are the factors that lead to the success of the business such as

customer relationship?



Right now most of the engagement that we have with the customers are very

transactional. So, as we get into more value added proactive services we will

make a shift to understanding more about our customers, closer partnerships with

the field teams so that we are able to provide more value than just fixing a

problem.

PC Suraj



surajp@cybermedia.co.in