Case-6

Success story of Saloni Malhotra Founder & CEO of DesiCrew Rural BPO]

Saloni Malhotra
Industry BPO/KPO
Founded in 2005
Education Bachelors
Head quarters Chennai, Tamilnadu, India

It`s a global village, as was being told Ior more than a decade so Iar. The birth oI the internet
has resulted in death oI the distance. But, still businesses in the IT Iield are happening mostly
in metros and not in villages where 70 oI the Indian population lives. Even though villages
have educated youth, dearth oI a non-agricultural career opportunity have been Iorcing them
to relocate to the congested metro Ior a career. Back at the metro, their winning bread is cut
almost less than a halI due to whopping living costs.
All oI us know oI this Iact, some oI the people think oI doing something to change and very a
Iew might have really tried. Saloni Malhotra has been one oI that Iew to make the change.
DesiCrew Solutions is an Indian Business process outsourcing (BPO) company. It was started
in 2005 by Saloni Malhotra as a test project sponsored by Ashok Jhunjhunwala's TeNet group
Irom Indian Institute oI Technology, Madras. It was registered as a Limited Company in
2007. Its business model involves setting up delivery centres in rural areas and small towns oI
India and servicing the urban areas
Saloni had given up a job in Delhi and migrated to Chennai in 2005. With little local
knowledge and even lesser business experience, it was a tough ride convincing corporates
about a rural` back oIIice meeting strict SLAs. Interacting with the people in the villages,
understanding the culture and their mindset towards a job and making them share her same
vision, took a lot oI eIIort, but was overcome with a strong passion to make an impact.
Saloni`s Iamily was very accommodative to her aspirations, which was a major strength
Startup
The idea was to set up rural BPOs in Tier II towns and village, so that we can employ the
unemployed youth, bring in the inIrastructure, provide the necessary training and get projects
and work Ior them Irom clients outside the state, across India. It diIIers Irom the urban BPOs
by way oI reduced costs (as much as 40 lesser), lesser attrition and Iree corporate social
responsibility.
What was a tested as a project Ior 2 years was registered as DesiCrew Solutions Pvt Ltd in
Feb 2007.
Our biggest challenge was creating inIrastructure in a rural setting that was as good as our
client`s oIIice in a Delhi, Mumbai or Bangalore and changing the perception in the minds oI
people in urban India that work could be done out oI the hinterland and with the same quality.
Our other big challenge was to establish with our rural teams the concept oI a BPO and that iI
work could travel to them. It could travel anywhere else in the world iI they did not meet the
quality and delivery parameters. People Irom the Iield were excited about the opportunity.
Though skilled and hardworking, many were impatient.
Training started with computer operations, basic oIIice management, HR practices, data entry
and Internet usage. There were a lot oI trial and error learning`s, which has helped us shape
our system. People who have survived the initial hardships are at key positions in DesiCrew
now.
Challenges
Our biggest challenge was creating inIrastructure in a rural setting that was as good as our
client`s oIIice in a Delhi, Mumbai or Bangalore and changing the perception in the minds oI
people in urban India that work could be done out oI the hinterland and with the same quality.
Our other big challenge was to establish with our rural teams the concept oI a BPO and that iI
work could travel to them. It could travel anywhere else in the world iI they did not meet the
quality and delivery parameters. People Irom the Iield were excited about the opportunity.
Though skilled and hardworking, many were impatient.
Training started with computer operations, basic oIIice management, HR practices, data entry
and Internet usage. There were a lot oI trial and error learning`s, which has helped us shape
our system. People who have survived the initial hardships are at key positions in DesiCrew
now.
The Impact
DesiCrew creates non-agricultural job opportunities in the villages Ior educated youth. We
provide opportunities Ior educated youngsters to be in their village instead oI migrating to
cities. Working at DesiCrew`s Delivery Centers, our rural employees save 90 oI their
salaries as opposed to 10 in the city.
We have had incidents where some oI our employees earn more than their parents who are
Iarmers. There was an 18 yr girl whose parents decided to postpone her wedding, as she was
a key earning member oI the Iamily. As women earn, their selI esteem grows. A learning Ior
us was that we could see issues like time management, ownership, eye Ior process details,
suggestions Ior improvement rubbing on their personal lives. We have received Ieedback
Irom our employee`s parents about positive diIIerence we have made to their children.
At DeisCrew, we oIIer opportunities Ior a progressive career. Employees who prove their
mettle are elevated to higher positions and increased scope oI responsibility. Thus, one can
start Irom an entry level operator and move upto a higher level oI operations. Currently, our
middle level management consists oI several individuals Irom the Iield.
ords of Advice
No job is diIIicult Ior qualiIied people, irrespective oI whether they are Irom a city or a
village. We have been pleasantly surprised by how much our people in the villages are
capable oI '. They have put their hands up and delivered well on several high-end tasks. Our
business model is evolving to meet the client requirements and we have learnt to be embrace
change without comprising on our Iundamental values.