Reliance Communications (RCOM) has reportedly shortlisted five companies for awarding two separate contracts for technological upgradation and outsourcing of its call centre operations. The total value of the two contracts is estimated to be Rs 12 billion.
The companies shortlisted for the outsourcing of these operations are IBM, Wipro, Tech Mahindra, Aegis and Vertex. Meanwhile, IBM, Wipro, Cisco, Genesys and Avaya have been shortlisted for the technology upgradation contract. RCOM intends to award the contracts by end-July 2014.
The deals are a part of the company?s arrangement to reduce costs and exit from non-core business as it has significant debts on its books due to spectrum purchase and network expansion. RCOM?s net debt stood at Rs 401.77 billion as of end March 2014.
The two deals will result in shunning of 3,500 employees at Dhirubhai Ambani Knowledge City (DAKC) in Mumbai and another 1,000 at 12 regional call centres across the country in the call centre operations outsourcing deal while 1,500 more employees will be transferred to the contracted companies under the other contract. , RCOM will be able to save Rs 2 billion annually by laying off 37 per cent of its 15,000 work force by end-July 2014.
