Business process outsourcing (BPO) is big business. Companies around the world are increasingly contracting out front and back office functions, from call center operations to accounting, finance, human resources, and more. Global revenue hit USD 72.9 billion in 2010, and is expected to grow approximately 5% annually for the next several years. In India alone, the world’s premier supplier of BPO services, 2011 revenues are projected at more than USD 12 billion.
Omega Healthcare, already a major player in India’s BPO industry, is poised to capitalize on the continuing growth. More than 3,000 employees provide medical coding, billing, accounts receivable management, claims processing, and healthcare revenue cycle management services to clients around the world. The company operates three facilities throughout India, including a newly opened building in Trichy (Tiruchirappalli), Tamil Nadu, and plans for a fourth facility are already in the works.
Setting the Standard for Networking Excellence
Kamalraj Chandrasekaran, Omega Healthcare’s Chief Technology Officer, knew that a state-of-the-art networking infrastructure would be essential to long-term success. In 2010 he began the process of selecting new, exclusive vendors that would provide the scalability, reliability, and performance that Omega Healthcare required. After extensive research and testing, Chandrasekaran selected Brocade switching infrastructure, Cisco servers, Juniper network security, and Leviton connectivity.
Several factors convinced Omega Healthcare to choose Leviton. Performance testing against several competitors was essential, of course. But Leviton offered many more advantages. “Leviton has huge brand recognition in the United States, where many of our customers are. A name they know and trust adds peace of mind,” said Chandrasekaran. “In addition, since Leviton was introduced in India, it’s quickly become very popular. Everyone is using Leviton here. Also, they have a comprehensive product selection. Going with Leviton allowed me to purchase virtually all of my connectivity components from a single vendor.”
Readying a New Facility
Omega Healthcare’s newest facility in Trichy is the first to be connected with Leviton. The 18,500 square foot building was completed in early 2011 and operations went live in mid-June. Chandrasekaran chose the QUICKPORT™ Category 6 UTP solution for its modularity and ease of deployment. Leviton Cat 6 UTP cabling connects more than 1,800 terminations at the workstations and telecom room. Blue and yellow connectors at each workstation are housed in Excella® wallplates and offer redundant connectivity for data and VoIP telephone service. Booted patch cords are used at each workstation and in the telecom room, where they connect to 24-port angled patch panels. The project was on a particularly tight deadline – all of the connectivity had to be installed within 45 days after Leviton was awarded the contract. Vestian Global Workplace Services Private Limited acted as both project manager and regional distributor for the installation, and stocked extra cable and components to ensure the project stayed on schedule. VJ Networks Pvt Ltd., the Leviton Certified Contractor, had everything installed four days after the product arrived on-site, and certified the project with a 25-year performance warranty.
“Leviton delivered the connectivity components to Vestian quickly, and everyone worked together closely to make sure the install would be timely,” said Chandrasekaran. “Everything went very smoothly, and the install was completed ahead of schedule. I couldn’t be more pleased.”
Omega Healthcare Looks Ahead
Omega Healthcare’s next project with Leviton is already in the works. The BPO’s team is looking for their next facility, and plan to start the build-out by mid-2012. As the company continues to grow and serve its customers across the globe, Leviton will be right there, ready to meet the company’s networking needs.