IT-enabled Services (ITeS) and Business Process Outsourcing
This domain covers the business side of IT services: what ITeS means, how BPO work is organized, and how performance is measured. Expect definitions, service models, and simple metric calculations.
Core rules and concepts
- ITeS uses information technology to deliver services. It includes BPO, KPO, and shared-service centres.
- BPO outsources routine processes such as customer support, payroll, data entry, and telemarketing. KPO handles knowledge-intensive work such as research, analytics, and legal support.
- Captive centres are owned by the client; third-party providers serve multiple clients.
- Voice processes use calls; non-voice uses email, chat, or back-office work. Inbound means customers contact the company; outbound means the company contacts customers.
- An SLA is a contractual service-level target. KPIs measure performance: first-contact resolution, customer satisfaction, attrition, and shrinkage.
- AHT (average handling time) is total handling time divided by calls handled. It commonly includes talk time, hold time, and after-call work.
Worked example
Over 10 calls, agents spend 6,000 seconds talking, 1,200 seconds on hold, and 800 seconds on after-call work. Reasoning: total handling time = 6,000 + 1,200 + 800 = 8,000 seconds. AHT = 8,000 ÷ 10 = 800 seconds, which is 13 minutes 20 seconds. If the question asks for talk time only, the answer would be 600 seconds; read the definition carefully.
Traps that cost marks
BPO is not the same as KPO. Inbound is not outbound. AHT is not just talk time when after-call work is included. An SLA is a contractual target, not any single KPI. Attrition measures staff leaving, not customer satisfaction.