1. Tell us something about yourself.
Answer:
This is the first question that an interviewer may ask you. They would want to start the conversation and would like to know more about you before they proceed.
This seems to be a simple question but make sure you answer this cautiously and give the relevant information. The interviewer is not interested in a history but a crisp introduction. Talk only about the things relevant to the role you are being interviewed for.
For e.g. If you are interviewing at a KPO in finance domain, you can say something like, I possess 3 years of experience as a Dealer in ABC Securities. My main focus areas were buying and selling of shares on behalf of our clients, informing them about the upcoming IPOs' and keeping them updated with the shares purchased or sold in their Demat account, at the end of the day. My other areas of work include - training the new joinees, maintaining and updating the client details and portfolio.
To work in this domain, one needs to be very quick and focused as the share market fluctuates every second and a second's delay can mean the client may lose a good deal. This job made me realize the value of time and has made me very detail oriented.
In order to keep myself focused and sharp, I meditate regularly. I also love to play chess in my free time and have participated in various competitions in my current organization.
I see that currently you are looking for a team leader and I believe that I possess the required knowledge, experience and expertise to take up this role.
2. What is a KPO?
Answer:
KPO stands for
Knowledge Process Outsourcing. The staff hired by a KPO possesses high degree of specialized skills and is assigned with knowledge and information related work.
The services offered by the KPOs fall into a wide spectrum such as legal research, clinical research, business and analytical research, engineering services, publishing and market research etc. among various industry verticals.
This question can be asked mostly to a fresher who has just passed out and it's their first interview.
3. Name some popular services offered by a KPO.
Answer:
With a lot of competition, many companies are outsourcing knowledge-based services so that they can get greater benefits such as advanced analytical skills rather than just process expertise. KPO is not limited to IT and this gives it wider wings.
Some of the popular services offered across various KPOs are:
i. Learning Solution
ii. Market and Business Research
iii. Research and Development
iv. Medical Services
v. Content Solution
vi. Data Analytics
vii. Property Research
viii. Technical and Business Analysis
ix. Design and Animation
x. Training and Consultancy
xi. Legal Process Outsourcing
4. What things do outsourcing companies expect from the KPO?
Answer:
The outsourcing company can expect the following results from the KPO:
i. Quality work at less cost.
ii. On time delivery.
iii. Continuous and uninterrupted services.
iv. Adaptability to changes.
5. What are the major challenges faced by the KPO industry?
Answer:
Some of the major challenges faced by the KPO industry are:
i. Quality of services provided by vendors: If KPOs further outsources some of their work to their vendors, they need to ensure that the quality doesn't get affected.
ii. Shortage of qualified staff: The KPOs need highly skilled people who possess good knowledge about their subject. Such people are costly to hire and at times difficult to find.
iii. Training cost: Cost of training is pretty high for specialized tasks which gets down the drain with attrition.
iv. Cost factor: KPO's need to invest in latest technology and infrastructure in order to provide quality returns. This increases the cost of the company.
v. Data Security and Control problems: Since the employees of the KPOs deal with client's data, security becomes an issue many a times.
6. What makes KPO different from BPO?
Answer:
BPO - Stands for Business Process Outsourcing
In order to minimize the cost and increase efficiency, the non-primary task or activities are outsourced to an external organization which is known as the BPO. A BPO employee needs to have good communication skills and require process expertise.
KPO - Stands for Knowledge Process Outsourcing
KPO is a type of outsourcing where processes related to knowledge and information which are important to the business are outsourced to service providers. A KPO employee needs to be professionally qualified and requires high level of skills and knowledge.
