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In November 2008, SK Telecom introduced the world’s first integrated voice and video call center service to its customers. Under the new T Video Call Center operations, customers can dial a customer service number and have the option to get their queries answer with voice or video or both.

Tips to Prepare for BPO Interview, BPO / Call Center Job Interview Questions and Answers like Tell Me About Yourself, How to prepare for a Job Interview?, Why did you leave your last job?, What kind of salary do you need?, Why should we hire you?, What are your greatest weaknesses?, What is your greatest strength?, BPO Interview Questions and Answers.
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AT&T ‘Day In The Life’ of a Corporate Call Center employee. To apply for employment with AT&T, head to www.att.jobs video production by: www.maddash.net

FOR THE HD VERSION OF THIS, PLEASE GO TO MY VIMEO SITE: Music video off the “Matic” album, MCA Music Philippines. Directed by Marie Jamora Directed of Photography: Odyssey Flores Produced by Leigh Topacio / Cambio Assistant Director: Niccolo Reyes Production Design: Trinka Lat & Biboy Belarmino Styling: Christina Dy & Sharon See Production Manager: Harold Soon Editing & Color Correction: Marie Jamora
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Call Center Outsourcing

In liberal terms, outsourcing merely means sourcing from the outside. However, in business terminology, outsourcing refers to hiring a third-party firm or group of individuals to do work that your company can otherwise not do. This may happen because you may not have the manpower or resources at your disposal. It often happens that outsourcing is done overseas because labor abroad tends to not only be much cheaper but more skilled as well. For example India not only has cheap labor but also has one of the highest English speaking populations outside of the US.

The reason why outsourcing is becoming such a global trend is not only because of cheap and skilled employees. The reason lies in the fact that outsourcing lets a company focus its attention on its own growth rather than on activities that may or may not help the company grow. By strategically focusing on core competencies, outsourcing also let a business pay more attention to its long term goals, aims and objectives thus ensuring the company’s’ survival in the long run. By freeing itself from labor intensive functions the company’s management is able to pay more attention to ways to boost revenues and increase profits. Some of the more popular outsourcing activities range from customer services and telemarketing, to IT management, software development, market research and financial portfolio management.

Call center outsourcing Call centers are one of the most popular businesses that are outsourced nowadays. In recent years the cost effectiveness of setting up call centers overseas has grown with leaps and bounds. The success of outsourcing call centers can be seen in the fact that many global and Fortune 500 organizations such as General Electric, American Express, Sprint, Dell, AOL, and Amazon.com have improved their cost efficiency by outsourcing the call center parts of their businesses. This shows that indeed call centers are a great way to increase profits, recruit skilled cheap labor and boost a company’s revenue.

A lot of call center outsourcing businesses are now set up in countries like India and China where labor is skilled and cheap. It is estimated that most companies that do have call centers outsourced overseas improve their cost effectiveness by up to 50%, plus they also get quality customer support and satisfaction. At the moment India is one of the leading markets for call center outsourcing in the world.

Benefits of call center outsourcing
Call center outsourcing has many benefits some of which are listed below:
Call center outsourcing has the highest turnover rate of any industry. Call center outsourcing is more cost-effective as today’s state-of-the-art call centers can make up to three times the telephone calls per hour than one can make from a regular telephone. Call center outsourcing allows a business to maximize its office space and put it to more effective use, by hiring more skilled employees for other activities. Call center outsourcing ensures that the salespeople working for your business focus their time and effort on making your company the most money; while you on the other hand are free to deal with decision makers and CEO’s. Call center outsourcing eliminates the expense of hiring extra employees and paying extra wages as well as Social Security, vacation, sick days, employee insurance, and retirement plans. Call center outsourcing let you keep your business open 24 x 7 since these centers are often located in different time zones. Call center outsourcing let a business focus on what is important in terms of future goals and strategies. Call center outsourcing provides your business with many important outbound applications like appointment setting, phone sales, lead generation and qualification, list cleaning, database building, surveys, market research, seminar registration, etc.

Call Center Outsourcing In liberal terms, outsourcing merely means sourcing from the outside. However, in business terminology, outsourcing refers to hiring a third-party firm or group of individuals to do work that your company can otherwise not do. This may happen because you may not have the manpower or resources at your disposal. It often happens that outsourcing is done overseas because labor abroad tends to not only be much cheaper but more skilled as well. For example India not only has cheap labor but also has one of the highest English speaking populations outside of the US.
Call center outsourcing

The reason why outsourcing is becoming such a global trend is not only because of cheap and skilled employees. The reason lies in the fact that outsourcing lets a company focus its attention on its own growth rather than on activities that may or may not help the company grow. By strategically focusing on core competencies, outsourcing also let a business pay more attention to its long term goals, aims and objectives thus ensuring the company’s’ survival in the long run. By freeing itself from labor intensive functions the company’s management is able to pay more attention to ways to boost revenues and increase profits. Some of the more popular outsourcing activities range from customer services and telemarketing, to IT management, software development, market research and financial portfolio management.

Call center outsourcing

Call centers are one of the most popular businesses that are outsourced nowadays. In recent years the cost effectiveness of setting up call centers overseas has grown with leaps and bounds. The success of outsourcing call centers can be seen in the fact that many global and Fortune 500 organizations such as General Electric, American Express, Sprint, Dell, AOL, and Amazon.com have improved their cost efficiency by outsourcing the call center parts of their businesses. This shows that indeed call centers are a great way to increase profits, recruit skilled cheap labor and boost a company’s revenue.

A lot of call center outsourcing businesses are now set up in countries like India and China where labor is skilled and cheap. It is estimated that most companies that do have call centers outsourced overseas improve their cost effectiveness by up to 50%, plus they also get quality customer support and satisfaction. At the moment India is one of the leading markets for call center outsourcing in the world.

Benefits of call center outsourcing
Call center outsourcing has many benefits some of which are listed below:
Call center outsourcing has the highest turnover rate of any industry. Call center outsourcing is more cost-effective as today’s state-of-the-art call centers can make up to three times the telephone calls per hour than one can make from a regular telephone. Call center outsourcing allows a business to maximize its office space and put it to more effective use, by hiring more skilled employees for other activities. Call center outsourcing ensures that the salespeople working for your business focus their time and effort on making your company the most money; while you on the other hand are free to deal with decision makers and CEO’s. Call center outsourcing eliminates the expense of hiring extra employees and paying extra wages as well as Social Security, vacation, sick days, employee insurance, and retirement plans. Call center outsourcing let you keep your business open 24 x 7 since these centers are often located in different time zones. Call center outsourcing let a business focus on what is important in terms of future goals and strategies. Call center outsourcing provides your business with many important outbound applications like appointment setting, phone sales, lead generation and qualification, list cleaning, database building, surveys, market research, seminar registration, etc.

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Call Center Inbound Calls

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Our bilingual call center philosophies, coupled with strictly adhered to outsourcing polices and strategies, helps to create a high quality level of experience to the caller into our customer service center.

Every outsourced inbound call that enters the Costa Rican call center is judged for quality control and studied for maximum effectiveness for your BPO campaign, while striving to meet the customer relationship goals. Costa Rica’s Call Center Call inbound calls are capable in delivering immediate value to the customer and profit to the North American organization that decides to pursue outsourcing jobs in Costa Rica.

Call center inbound calls can be directed to many different departments throughout the Costa Rican call center. A bilingual call center agent’s responsibility is to deal with building and maintaining customer relationships on every single call center inbound phone call. This can include IT, billing, invoicing, advertising, finance, marketing, services planning, maintenance and manufacturing. All outsourced call center inbound calls are affected by the client’s own organization and their relationship with suppliers, vendors and distributors. All operating procedures in our call center must be aligned with the North American company’s established practice to ensure a seamless transition of inbound customer service calls.

Call center inbound calls can be measured by several metrics known as key performance indicators that properly grade the performance of the bilingual call center agent and the entire outsourcing organization.

In comparison of using us to any other Costa Rican call center agent, they may answer an inbound call and just haphazardly read from a script, giving the impression that may not sound as sincere or genuine and may result in an upset customer. If a customer requires speaking with a call center supervisor or manager, non-expert call center operators will receive the inbound call and may improperly screen the caller to determine where to transfer the call and how to best confront the situation before escalation. When a call center agent is incompetent, untrained and incapable of fulfilling customers’ requests effectively, the outsourced inbound call campaign solution will not be as effective as one that has policies and procedures in place, like Costa Rica’s Call Center.

Call center inbound calls at an overseas location in the Far East or Asia with language and accent problems can greatly affect your call center’s inbound call campaign success. More call center solutions located in India and the Philippines are very professional and cost effective, yet lack the ability to properly handle inbound customer service calls or outbound telemarketing campaigns in both English and Spanish. This aspect alone can impede your organization’s growth into untapped Latino markets through out the Americas or utilizing a familiar accent shared by many North Americans.

Outsourcing to call centers have seen many customers complain when they make an inbound call into a call center and are immediately sent into an automated queuing system that sometimes result in excessively long hold times. Many inbound call center experiences are prone to frustration and unresolved issues that can result in revenue loss and less customer retention.

Outsourcing call center inbound calls to an organized bilingual Costa Rican center will eliminate the complaints that departments of call centers do not engage in communication with one another. The opportunity to assist a client during an inbound call lessens the chance of it being ruined by an unprepared call center agent.

Outsourcing call center management have produced several ways to improve call center inbound calls. The first call center solution would be to confront the common criticisms from call center staff and address them immediately for a mutually beneficial resolution.

Since Costa Rica’s Call Center agents are closely scrutinized by call center management via frequent random call monitoring, they are ensured of improving their inbound call customer service skills. An innovative call center solution which helps to increase employee morale and their call techniques is to offer a solid pay check and the potential of well deserved bonuses if they comply with the Costa Rican call center’s quality control and performance levels. An effective call center outsourcing solution in Costa Rica is to have strictly adhered to outsourcing work practices and BPO procedures. This will require call center agents to follow a pre-written inbound call script so that all inbound calls are identical and the quality remains high for the customer and call center client.

In today’s outsourcing world it is becoming more difficult to find top quality customer service. In most cases with call center inbound calls, you get a call center agent on the phone who sounds as if they don’t care about the customer’s needs, are not properly trained and have a strong accent that is very difficult to understand. Costa Rica’s Call Center agent’s pride themselves on using a pleasant speaking voice on every inbound customer service call. In addition, Costa Rican call center agents have been noted for their strong command of correct English. Call center telemarketing training focuses on the fact that from the moment you receive an inbound call and are speaking with an individual with whom you have no rapport, you speak clearly, slowly and use proper grammar.

Call center inbound calls are judged immediately by the initial greeting. All Costa Rica’s Call Center agents are trained to greet the inbound caller with respect and attentiveness. This highly professional inbound call greeting does three things for the bilingual call center agent; it thanks the customer immediately, it introduces you and it offers your assistance for whatever they called in about. With proper attention to detail, a call center inbound call can produce more clients and increase the outsourcing company’s bottom line. Another import aspect of an inbound call is to have the call center agent be as knowledgeable as possible with the outsourced campaign. One call center solution to increase the agent’s knowledge base is by reading about the client’s product and/or company prior to starting the campaign as well as updating their knowledge between taking inbound customer service calls. It is not good to only use the time that the call center agents is “on the clock” to perfect their craft. This simple call center solution will boost the confidence of the call center agent and will make the call center inbound call go even more smoothly.

In today’s highly competitive outsourcing market, a closer proximity to the United States , Central Time Zone and Spanish language capability as an added value are now considered almost basic requirements when making a decision on what call center to use for your important project. Leaving this to chance is not even an option anymore. Many of the offshore call center agents are bilingual in their native Middle Eastern or Asian language which is difficult to the North American ear. Whereas Spanish is more useful and practical as a second language for potential untapped markets throughout the North, Central and South American populations as well as those countries where Spanish is either a primary or secondary language.

We encourage you to visit one of our call centers on your next personal vacation or business trip to Central America’s paradise, Costa Rica. While you are here, we would recommend taking an extra day of your trip to visit breathtaking virgin beaches, play golf next to the ocean, try your luck at deep sea fishing, explore tropical jungles, climb a volcano or just relax in natural hot springs. Come and see for yourself why call center outsourcing in Costa Rica is a perfect solution for your growing company and a powerhouse in the BPO industry.

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Call Center Outsourcing Jobs

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Costa Rica’s Call Center has a major advantage when it comes to hiring qualified bilingual Spanish and English speaking customer service and telemarketing call center agents to handle your important outsourcing campaign.

Call center outsourcing jobs in Costa Rica pay more than most outsourcing jobs in India and the Philippines and are able to offer more qualified agents. Call center outsourcing jobs need to provide a very stable work environment which assists an outsourcing company when hiring many bilingual call center agents in a short period of time while launching a new outsourced campaign.

Every North American company that outsources call center services with Costa Rica’s Call Center can be rest assured that our call center management hires less than 10% of the applicants. We only hire the top outsourcing bilingual call center agents in the outsourcing industry, period. Costa Rica’s Call Center strictly adheres to all applicable Costa Rica employment laws.

Costa Rica’s Call Center works hard every day to meet with the brightest outsourcing call center agents in the country, talking with them about joining our bilingual Costa Rican call center teams at all levels and for a variety of outsourced BPO campaigns. Since call center outsourcing jobs are in high demand, the call center’s human resource department receives on a daily basis an abundant number of solid qualified agent resumes. From a client’s viewpoint, Costa Rica’s Call Center has the luxury of choice selections of the elite in outsourcing bilingual call center agents.

Call center outsourcing jobs require that the call center agents have a strong sense of innate customer service skills as well as an especially keen ability to listen to detail in order to offer the most effective result for your outsourced campaign. Without an extroverted and relentlessly positive attitude during the initial interview or continuing through the telemarketing training period, the call center’s management team will deny the employment of that particular candidate. Call center outsourcing jobs need to be filled by the best, period.

The changing global economy and the unfortunate downsizing of the North American corporate world makes call center outsourcing jobs to a Costa Rican call center an important topic for top executives when deciding a company’s growth potential or even survival. Every outsourced Costa Rican call center job can make a difference to your company’s bottom line and increase your employee morale by offering opportunities to very grateful and hard working bilingual call center agents that will represent your company in the best light. There are ideally suited Costa Rica’s Call Center agents waiting to assist your inbound customer service call today.

Call center outsourcing jobs is simple when understanding the qualifications for the ideal bilingual call center agent for your outsourced campaign. From the many years of continuous growth, call center employment is considered a stable long term career in Costa Rica. Confidence in a call center agent is just as important as their work ethics. Punctuality, honesty, accountability and results can separate a subpar outsourced call center agent in another firm to one of Costa Rica’s Call Center’s highly trained and motivated outsourced call center agents. A bilingual outsourced telemarketer who believes that they possess advanced communication skills are the first agents we interview when hiring for an outbound lead generation or bilingual outbound sales campaign. An outsourced bilingual customer service agent that holds empathy and patience in high regard are two skills that every hand picked call center agent posses at our Costa Rican call center. Every well executed inbound phone call ensures the best in top outsourced customer service, client retention and increased referrals resulting from the first class experience given by the Costa Rican call center agent. What you would personally expect to receive from a customer service representative on the phone is exactly how we are going to handle each and every one of your inbound or outbound phone calls with your clients.

When it comes to BPO call center outsourcing jobs in web design and computer programming, a company can save up to 70% and receive better and faster results when outsourcing with Costa Rica’s Call Center. The top universities in Costa Rica pride themselves by offering advanced education in web design, computers and IT certification. Every year, brilliant Costa Rican professors graduate an army of young and talented individuals who are hungry to create a masterpiece for your company’s image on the internet. By outsourcing a job with Costa Rica’s Call Center, you will give us the ability to match your needs with a top call center web designer and computer programmer that will be strictly devoted to your outsourced project in order to ensure that you are 100% satisfied with the results.

Call center outsourcing jobs offer all bilingual call center agents entering the call center the best and most effective in advanced bilingual telemarketing training in Costa Rica. All outsourced agents are educated with a strong emphasis in semantics, phonetics, rhetoric, interpersonal communication and conflict management to make sure the inbound or outbound call is a success for our client’s outsourced campaign.

Costa Rica’s Call Center’s strong work ethic consistently produces bilingual call center agents accustomed to the high demands and professionalism expected by North American clients. Unlike large outsourced call centers in the Far East and Asia that are known for long rows of gray cubicles occupied by nameless and expendable agents, our Costa Rican call center differs by extending an appreciative work environment built on recognition and a highly structured internal career development program for long term call center career growth. We produce future leaders in the call center industry, not laggards that use it as a transitional job with no known intentions for promotion. The Costa Rican call center outsourcing jobs industry requires many different types of job positions and specialized skills in order to make an outsourced campaign successful and long term. There will always be opportunities available in our call center for the top bilingual outsourced call center agents in Costa Rica.

In today’s highly competitive outsourcing market, a closer proximity to the United States , Central Time Zone and Spanish language capability as an added value are now considered almost basic requirements when making a decision on what call center to use for your important project. Leaving this to chance is not even an option anymore. Many of the offshore call center agents are bilingual in their native Middle Eastern or Asian language which is difficult to the North American ear. Whereas Spanish is more useful and practical as a second language for potential untapped markets throughout the North, Central and South American populations as well as those countries where Spanish is either a primary or secondary language.

We encourage you to visit one of our call centers on your next personal vacation or business trip to Central America’s paradise, Costa Rica. While you are here, we would recommend taking an extra day of your trip to visit breathtaking virgin beaches, play golf next to the ocean, try your luck at deep sea fishing, explore tropical jungles, climb a volcano or just relax in natural hot springs. Come and see for yourself why call center outsourcing in Costa Rica is a perfect solution for your growing company and a powerhouse in the BPO industry.

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Called Time Warner Cable several times trying to cancel my cable service – had some interesting responses from the reps. Time Warner Call Center (10/13) – Lin TV vs. Time Warner Cable: Loosing KXAN in Austin, TX along with 15 other stations in 11 different markets. It is a lose-lose scenario for both parties. We are waiting to see who bleeds the most and gives in.
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THE ROLE OF STUDY CENTERS IN THE DISTANCE EDUCATION SYSTEM

THE ROLE OF STUDY CENTERS IN THE DISTANCE EDUCATION SYSTEM.

(1)   INTRUDUCTION -:

It is a waste of time to compare Distance Education System (DES) with the Convention Education System (CES). It is proved fact that DES is cost effective than that of CES. It can cater to millions of learners irrespective of places of residence. It allows them to learn at their own place and pace. The lessons are written in the self-instructional mode. Audio-Video medias are used to establish the rapport between the learner and the teacher. Yet the feeling of isolation remains intense. Therefore human support is given establishing Study Centers at the root level of the distance education system. Every Open University in India has established its three-tire infrastructure as (1) Headquarter (2) Regional Centers, and (3) Study Centers. Study Center Management is one of the sections at the Headquarter to control, guide and monitor the Study Centers of the University.

(2)    FUNCTIONAL FLOW CHART -:

Functional flow chart attached herewith as appendix -1 will throw the light on this point.

(3)   ROLE OF THE STUDY CENTERS -:

These Study centers play following vital roles in meeting the academic needs of the learner and administration needs of the University.

(1)      It is an agent between University and Learners.

(2)      It manages local resources for some Lectures.

(3)      It communicates University plans and procedures to society.

(4)      It motivates the learners for better and effective learning especially in contact  cum counselling sessions.

(5)      It also provides Reference Library to the learners.

(6)      It provides, if needed, Laboratory practices to the learner.

(7)      Audio – Visual facilities are specially provided as an aid to the counselling as well as for self-learning.

(8)      It arranges seminars and workshops.

(9)      It registers the students and delivers the study materials.

(10)  It arranges the assessment of Home Test, Class Test and conducts the end examination.

(4)   STAFFING RELATED FUNCTION -:

Staffing related functions at the Study Centers is attached herewith as appendix -2.

The functions given here are the expected functions to be carried out by the Study Centers and the Staff working there. No Open Universities, in India, provided permanent staff at the root level i.e. at Study Centres. This system is based on dependent model. The staff working there is only nominally trained. There is no control over the staff working at study centers. Therefore, the purpose of establishing Study Centers in distance education set up doesn’t fulfil completely.

(5)   RESEARCHES -:

Many researches in this field also brought our notice towards these types of problems.

(1)   G. Laxma Reddy and Banothlal (1996) ‘Assessment of delivery system of an Open University profession courses’, in ‘Dynamics of Distance Education’, brought forth the findings pertaining to the contact cum Counselling sessions are given below.

i)                   60% of the students were not satisfied with the quality of the classes.

ii)                75% of the students complained about frequent disturbances in the schedule of the classes and the rest gave the personal problems as reasons for not attending the classes.

iii)              80% of the students indicated that the number of classes are not sufficient to complete the course and suggested that they may be increased.

(2)   Reddy V.R. (1994) ‘Learner attitudes and suggestions in distance education’, in Distance Education : An interface, Hydrabad : BRAOU brought forth the findings as below.

82 out of 92 stated that contact classes were very much useful to them. Majority of learners felt that all was not well with the contact classes. They suggested that the number of contact classes should be increased. The duration of the contact classes should be reduced from 2 hours to 1 hour.

(3)   Rather H.C.S. (1991) A Critical Evaluation of the System Adopted for Management of Teaching and Learning in the Existing Correspondence Institutes on India. Project Report Submitted to National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration, New Delhi brought forth the findings as below.

Not more than 50 percent students were not satisfied with the functioning and facilities extended at the study centers.

The distance learners with permission of College Principals can use the existing Library Services in the University/College. But most of the time the contact programs are held on Sundays when it is holiday to the College library.

These researches draw our attention towards the functioning of the study centers especially towards the contact classes that is considered the main function of the study center. It is true that many students complain against the functioning of the study centers, the behaviour of the staff working there, their availability and sincerity, and so on.

Therefore, it is necessary to conduct the research on this issue.

(6)   CAUSES THAT AFFECT THE STUDY CENTERS.

Let us think at the root of these complaints where we find the probable causes that effect the functioning of Study Centers.

i)      The Head of the Institution/ College feel that they will be given regular grant like the conventional Colleges for carrying out this activity. And when they come to know that there is no grant for this purpose they don’t provide their attention towards running these Study Centers as per the norms laid down for the purpose.

ii)    Not enough training is given to the teachers to be a counsellor. They use lecture methods in the classes instead of counselling.

iii) Teachers do this activity as an addition to their daily work and demand an attractive remuneration as they work on holidays.

iv)   The Heads of the Institution/College feel that Study Centers at colleges will lower the strength of their regular students.

v)     The Head of the Institutions/Colleges need one innovative activity carried out through their colleges. Therefore they open the Study Centers at their Colleges, and compel the staff to work there. The staff, perhaps, be working unwillingly.

vi)   There would be a clash between the regular work of the staff and the work of the Study Centers. In that case Management offers no co-operation to the staff working at the Study Centers.

vii)The queries of non-academic nature are more than that of academic nature. The Study Centers have not received proper information to fulfil them.

There may be a lot of other causes where the research is required to find out them accurately. Up till now distance educationalists have given much stress on developing the system of distance education. It requires today raise the quality in every part of the system.

(7)   REMEDIES -:

Once the causes are identified properly, one should try to find out the remedies. Following are some of the remedies suggested to solve these types of problems.

(i)              Clear-cut understanding should be given to the Heads of the Institution that the University should not give them any grant.

(ii)            Various types of training are necessary to be given to the different level of staff working at the study center. It should be provided to them regularly after one-year interval.

(iii)         Program wise costing should be made and without raising the fees of the students remuneration to the counsellors should be fixed. It is better to convey the Counselors that it is an extra activity, which will enrich the bio-data and fulfil the social obligations. Everything is not counted in money. One gets the mental satisfaction working in distance education set up. It may not be acquired with the attractive salary in the convention system of education.

(iv)           The learners at the study centers are differ from that of Convention education. It will not affect the strength of the regular students. Therefore, this misunderstanding should be cleared.

(v)             While allotting a study center, meeting should be held with the staff at the colleges and their opinion should be sought. When the staff is taken into confidence, they will work willingly.

(vi)           It is but natural that the Regular/college work of the staff should not suffer. Activity chart should take care of this.

(vii)        The University must provide necessary information to the study centers in time pertaining to the registration, delivery of books, examinations and so on.

(viii)      If possible, one part time assistant, skilled in operating the computer, may be appointed on every Study Center He will work there for two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening; and for whole day on Sundays and on holidays.

(ix)          Every study center should be so equipped that it needs to work as a ‘Resources Center’. Now a days every center needs a computer with necessary software and the internet. It will work as information receiver, information storage and information display/ distribution. Even if the learner may not have time to visualize the telecast of his interest or attend a counselling session of some course due to engagements elsewhere, the center has to manage the recording of that telecast and to make available it to the learner at his study center, at a time of his own choice and convenience.

(x)             Various cultural programs should be organized at the Study Cetners like gathering, sports, welcoming ceremonies to the newer and farewell ceremony to the out goers etc.

(8)   CONCLUSION –

Study Centers are the backbone of the distance education set-up. Unless and until they are functioning independently, it remains challenge to the staff to make the centers work properly.

REFERENCE –

(1) Pawar K. B., Panda Santosh, and Bhalla Veena (2000) Performance Indicators in Distance Higher Education Aravali Books International (P) Ltd, New Delhi 110020.

(2) Panda S. K., Satyanarayan P, and Sharma R.C. (1996) Open and Distance Education Research, Analysis and Annotation Indian Distance Education Association, ISBN 81 – 900611-0-0.

(3) Shanmugum M and Murli Manohar K (Nov.1996) Dynamics of Distance Education, Idea, ISBN 81-900611-5-1.

(4) Gandhe S.K., Datt Ruddar and Mitra Sushmita (1996) Open Learning Systems in India, Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi.

(5) Koul B.N., Singh Bakhshish and Ansari N.M. (1988) -: Studies in Distance Education, Association of Indian Universities, New Delhi.

APPENDIX – 1.

STAFFING RELATED FUNCTIONS OF A STUDY CENTRE.

(Selection and duties of Study Centre Personnel)

Study centres of the Open University will be established in colleges or institutions with the approval of the respective managements. The authority and responsibility for managing and running the study center shall vest with the Principal of the college or the head of the institution. The functionaries of the study center are as given under -:

1. Head of the study center.

2. Coordinator of the study center.

3. Teacher -counselors, and

4. Administrative staff.

1} Head of the Study Center -:

Principal of the College or the Head of the Institution where study center has been established shall be the Head of study center. The main functions of the Head of the study center are as given under.

i)     To establish the Advisory Committee of the study center and to convene the meeting of the Advisory Committee, at least once in every six months.

ii)   To advise and direct the study center Co-ordinator for the smooth functioning of the study center.

iii) To see whether the functioning of the study center is as per directions and regulations of the University.

iv) To keep a liaison with local educational institutions and to consult local educationists for smooth functioning of the academic programmes of the study center.

v)   To appoint the academic and non-academic staff and to make the necessary changes, as and when required, and to get appointments or changes there in approved by the University authorities.

vi) To supervise the administrative functioning of the study center.

vii)              To supervise the finances and to maintain the financial discipline of the study center.

viii)            To under take any work relating to the study center and assigned by the University.

2) Co-ordinator of the Study Center.

The head of the study center shall appoint coordinator of the study center. He is the key person of the study center looking after the day-to-day activities of the study center. He has to consult the Head of the study center for major decisions.

In fact, he has to play five different roles at the study center. They are of a Manager, Supervisor, Organizer, Coordinator and if possible, of a teacher counselor. The main functions of the coordinator are given as under.

i)       To conduct the administration of the study center in consultation with the Head of the study center.

ii)     To appoint the teacher-counselors for engaging contact sessions in consultation with the Head of the study center.

iii)   To plan the timetable of the contact-sessions and to see whether the contact-sessions are being engaged by the teacher-counselors as per timetable.

iv)  To maintain and get repaired the equipments of the study center from time to time so that they are in order.

v)    To protect the property of the study center, if any.

vi)  To supervise the disbursement of the study -tests to the students and to maintain their record.

vii)To make the audio-video tapers available to teacher-counselors and students.

viii)           To maintain the attendance record of the students.

ix)  To assist the University for planning the conduct of class-tests and end examinations.

x)    To maintain the records of class-tests, home-tests and the end examinations.

xi)  To keep a constant contact with the University and to obtain information about plans of the University.

xii)To attend the workshops, seminars or meetings organized by the University.

xiii)           To inform the teacher-counselors and the students about the plans and developments of the University.

3) Teacher-counselors at the Study Center -:

Coordinator of the study center shall appoint the teacher-counselors for different courses in consultation with the Head of the study center.

University shall obtain the bio-data of the prospective teacher-counselors from the study center. For each course the study center will suggest two-three names of teachers who would work as teacher counselors. Head of the study center and the co-ordinator shall submit these forms to the members of the selection committee to be appointed by the Vic-Chancellor. This committee will scrutinize the bio-data of prospective counselors for each course and shall accord approval to a counselor or counselors for a given course. University will issue an appointment order to such approved counselors in due course of time.

The University will decide qualifications of the teacher-counselors after considering the norms lay down by U.G.C. and such other apex bodies.

Functions of the teacher-counselors.

Main functions of the teacher-counselors are given as under:

i)                  To organize contact-sessions by adopting methods like discussion, question-answers, use of audio or videotapes, etc.

ii)                To assist the coordinator for the conduct of class-tests.

iii)             To correct the answer-books of class-tests and home-tests.

iv)               To fill in the evaluation sheets for the performance of class tests and home tests and to handover them to the coordinator of the study center in a given time.

v)                 To inform the students about open education, distance education and latest developments in it.

vi)               To solve the academic problems of the students and to advise them to refer useful books and references.

vii)            To help the students for developing study skills.

viii)          To submit the plan of contact sessions to the coordinator and to execute it.

ix)              To study the study-texts and the audio-video tapes concerning them and plan for a given contact session.

x)                 To maintain the record of attendance of students in contact sessions and Handover it to the coordinator.

xi)              To record the reactions of students about the learning material and the academic programmes of the University.

xii)            To assist the study center coordinator as and when required.

5) Administrative Staff -:

Administrative staff in a given study center consists of part time clerks, part time peons and a sweeper. The functions of the clerks working in the study center are given as under -:

i)                  To maintain the office and the filing system of the study center.

ii)                To bring the contents of the mail to the notice of the co-ordinator.

iii)             To maintain the records of demand drafts, postal orders and cheques and deposit them in the bank.

iv)               To notify the circulars received from the University.

v)                 To assist the Coordinator in maintaining different, records of the study center.

To assist the Coordinator for the smooth conduct of the class tests and end examinations.

Functions of the peon -:

Functions of the peon are given as under -:

i)                  To collect the mail from the postman.

ii)                To assist the clerk in storing and disbursing the study-texts.

iii)             To make the audio-video tapes available to the students.

iv)               To assist the clerk in maintaining the office.

v)                 To work on errand as directed by the Coordinator or the Clerk.

vi)               To assist the Coordinator for the smooth conduct of class tests and end examinations.

vii)            To perform any official work assigned by the Coordinator or the clerk.

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