Signs of a BPO addict
By Techgirl

What is BPO or Call Centre Addiction? According to one of the most respected voices in India, it is best described as a progressive intimacy disorder characterized by compulsive thoughts and acts about BPOs. While some expert say that it is a mental disorder while others say it is a personality disorder which exists, trashing the reports of those sociologists, who say that there is nothing like this.  (You can find the source of all this research at the end of this article)

People who fall under this category engage in distorted thinking and risks by getting into dangerous BPO practices despite knowing the dangerous repercussions.

Here are some signs

1. Double standards: Most of the times without realizing, the person starts living a secret life. You become a compulsive BPO interview giver, go to BPO hubs and watch loads of documentaries about outsourcing.

2. Personal relations getting strained: The person just cannot manage his major relationships with ease. There are loads of lies and another side to the person.

3. Risks are fun: Taking risks like trying to give BPO interviews at public places or in fact trying to do an interview for a different company at the BPO you are working at. It gives you a high.

4. Feeling guilty: Even though living their double life is fun for them, but when guilt sets in they go in a complete reclusive mode and blame themselves often bordering depression.

5. Constant look-out for BPO gadgets and fine tuning techniques: Kinky is the way they always think like. Something new, something weird and state of the art in headsets and customer interaction gets them going. But hold on, your BPO colleagues might not approve with a lot of toys you want to use during your act. Your mind might always be preoccupied with these thoughts.

6. Keep NASSCOM and management at bay: You can get into serious trouble with BPO’s because of your risky behavior. Getting caught at work trying to give an interview for another BPO is not only embarrassing but will also tarnish your reputation.

7. Intrusive BPO talk: This is one of the most visible signs of a BPO addict. Intrusive BPO talk is getting touchy feely with other BPO people here and there in an unhealthy manner where there are no real friendships. It’s as if the person is completely unwilling or at times not even aware.

8. Fantasizing working for top BPO’s like Genpact: While fantasizing a top BPO is common, obsessing about the best BPOs is not. This will surely affect your daily functioning and other activities putting you in a tight spot.

9. Irresponsible behaviour: When involved with multiple BPOs, there should be some responsibility with respect to the protection that is used. With talk among different HR Departments spreading at an alarming rate, the least you can do is be truthful to the HR person you are speaking to

Source of this research at this link

Techgoss note:  Techgirl is a senior Tech journalist who reports on the IT, KPO and KPO Sectors for a leading media house.  In her spare time, she dabbles in satire in her blog techgirltalk.blogspot.com.  Techgirl has been ejected from Twitter for satirizing an Indian Minister.  Her satire blog has links to her Times of India interview detailing her being kicked out of Twitter, and then being invited back.