US-based KGB pays Agents well
By Juan Dela Cruz

KGB has now opened its doors to Filipino BPO workers by offering work-at-home “Special Agents” jobs to the public. First started by KGB in the USA in January 2009, Special Agents are able to provide answers to text-in questions from customers instead of having them call and speak with a traditional directory assistance setup.

KGB, a call center formerly known as INFONXX in the Philippines, has long offered directory assistance for many telecommunications clients in the US as well as UK. Directory assistance and providing quick information has long been its greatest strength in the outsourcing industry. In fact, when you mention “Directory Assistance” call center to a Filipino BPO worker, they’ll most probably mention KGB/INFONXX to you.

Early last year, they had launched a text message answering service that provides US and UK customers with text reply answers for virtually any conceivable question from “do you like my shoes?” to “what is the newest exoplanet discovered by astronomers?”. Their “special agents” were all Americans and Canadians at that time. However, effective the fourth week of Jan, 2010, Filipino special agents who have passed their rigorous online training and certification will now also be able to answer text messages for them from the convenience of their own homes.

KGB requires no special things in order to work as special agents, only that they pass certification, have a stable internet connection at home and schedule adherence where special agents have the option to work a minimum of 10 hours to a max of 36 hours per week. These Filipino work-at-home special agents get paid 3.4 pesos per researched text reply or 1.7 pesos per canned reply. A former co-worker, who brought this opportunity to my attention, says they just finished online training this week and are aiming to comfortably earn 7344 pesos every 15 days or 14,688 a month which is typically the same pay a normal call center agent would be getting in a regular job. A Peso has the same value as an Indian Rupee. The upside of this work is that it can be done 36 hours a week and still be considered part-time work done at home at the agents’ convenience and a schedule of their choosing. My source says she projects it can potentially double her income as soon as she gets comfortable with this job as she plans to keep her present full time call center job.

The mechanics and nature of this job looks easy enough for any intelligent and hard working Agent to manage. Currently, these KGB special agents’ jobs are only available to Americans, Canadians and Filipinos.

However, as the Indian BPO companies are able to provide more value, lower costs to clients and a willing workforce, it won’t be long until an entrepreneurial BPO hot shot will look at this business avenue and trail blaze this for the Indian masses.

(For comments and suggestions, please email me at 1delacruise at Gmail dot com)