Now, it’s time for reverse outsourcing: HCL

Four years ago when HCL made the ground-breaking decision to buy a call centre in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and become the first Indian company to own a BPO in Britain, everyone in the Irish city was scared of losing jobs to India. Today, it is the pride of Belfast, with HCL expanding to a second unit in Armagh and providing employment to more than 2,000 Irish youngsters and boasting further expansion plans. HCL has bucked the trend most American and British companies follow, of relocating their customer care operations to India and created contact centre jobs in the UK, thus changed the notion that British jobs are being stolen by Indians. DNA spoke to Kevin Houston, senior vice president and general manager of HCL’s Northern Ireland operations in Belfast. The initial fright in Ireland of HCL taking jobs away has gone now? Yes, we are now recognised as a large employer and provide employment of choice. Locals here no longer see India as a threat but more as an opportunity. There is always a waiting list for people wanting to work for us and our vacancies are filled almost immediately. We have people wanting to work for us both here and in India.