BPOs draw action plan for employee
security
The BPO industry in association with CII, CCAI, Delhi and Gurgaon
Police and Private Security Agencies drew up an action plan for
employee security in a meeting organized by CII on the 30 Dec 2005.
This is further to an emergency meeting held by the CCAI with the
Police, immediately after the Bangalore incident.
The emphasis was given to human security as
a public private partnership effort, by synergysing the efforts of all
stakeholders through a central agency like CII and CCAI.
Senior management of all leading BPOs and
Call Centres like Genpact, Convergys, IBM Daksh, Hero ITES, Vertex,
Keane Worldzen, E Value Serve, WNS, members of the CCAI, leading
security agencies like, Group 4, Peregrine, Sentinels, Force Tech,
Walson Securities, the Gurgaon and Delhi Police attended the meeting.
Mr Muktesh Chander (ACP) crime, Delhi
Police, circulated a list of Security / Safety precautions for Call
Centre transport vehicles. He also highlighted importance of police
verification, linking it to the menace of fake driving licenses and
registration papers.
Mr Hanif Qureshi, SSP Gurgaon, accepted the
paucity of PCR vans and motorcycle riders with the Gurgaon Police. CII
promised to take up this issue with the Haryana Govt on an urgent
baisis. Mr Qureshi, said that Gurgaon Police will take proactive action
in increasing the police presence around BPOs, increase patrolling and
spot checks. He accepted the need to complete the verification process
within 4 - 6 weeks time. He also reassured the industry of the close
liaison that existed between the police in the NCR.
Mr JK Mehta, Vice Chairman, Haryana State
Council said that CII will proactively engage in dialogue with all
stake holders to facilitate in the implementation process. Mr Chopra,
President CCAI, suggested procedures for ensuring safety by of car
parks inside / outside BPOs.
The participant agreed on an immediate and a
long-term plan to counter the problem. Some key points unanimously
accepted are:
•Installation of speed Governors
and vehicle tracking systems in all vehicles ferrying employees.
•Pre-ployment screening of all
third part service providers, including drivers by sharing digitized
records with the police.
•Careful selection of routes.
•Display of important telephone
phone of the police control room and the individual company control rooms numbers in all cabs.
•Sharing of the radio frequency
used by cabs with the police.
•Drive against rash and drunken
driving.
•Mandatory training and
certification of the cab drivers and other third party service
providers.
•Providing self-defence aids and
training to the lady employees.
•Sharing of best practices by
regular interaction of stakeholders, through a central agency like CII and CCAI.
•Sharing of black listed third
party vendors on a voluntary basis.
•Physical security of the
infrastructure.
•Distinct markings for BPO
employees ferrying vehicles.
•Procedures of the last employees
dropped linking up with the company control room.
•Patrolling of isolated routes at
night by private security agencies assisted by a beat constable.
Participants also suggested the need of
counseling, disaster management, emotional training to counter fear
factor.
NEW DELHI
31 December 2005
