Trouble on call?

The recent shootout at a call centre in Noida, has put to question the security at call centres. Hyderabad Times does a reality check.
Call centres in the country making news for the wrong reasons, doesn't come as a surprise, but a recent shootout in a Noida call centre has shocked the industry. The perpetrator, Karanjeet Singh, has set a dubious record by smuggling a gun into office, and shooting his colleague, Amin Alam.About 1500 km away from the shootout spot, the call centre fraternity in the city is experiencing a ripple effect. Is security being compromised at call centres? That's the question, which everyone is asking. While some call centre employees in the city feel that security systems are in place, others believe that a lot more needs to be done.
Asif Ali of 24X7 Customers, says, "The security at our office is tight. There are metal detectors at the entrance." Vipin Kumar of Monster shares, "It is impossible to take weapons inside my office." But Anuj Kumar, an ex-employee of Media Travels tells a contrasting story. "An I-Card swipe is all one needs to get into the office," he informs. Ravi Kumar, administration manager with the company defends, "Our security measures need not be very stringent, since our office is very small, compared to 24X7 Customers, Dell and HSBC. After the recent incident, we are thinking of tightening security." Harminder Pal Singh, HR Manager with Monster agrees. "In the light of the Noida incident, call centres should be made more secure. Even security guards should be checked," he opines. On the other hand, Satish Kumar, GM of Excel Security Services, informs, "Many companies don't take security measures due to the high costs involved."
While security is a concern, the factors contributing to such untoward incidents need to be traced. Erratic work schedules, and stress at call centres could be a cause. "It's a fact that the job-profile of a call centre employee is quite stressful, compared to other nine-to-five corporate jobs," says Anuj.