The fall of the Mighty Touchstone Communication [Call Center in Pakistan]
As per the pre defined agenda whatever post we will have here will be comprehensive, in depth, factual and non-personal. The reason for writing such a Post is to provide an opportunity to people to learn what is the reality of the Company, how are they treating there Clients and Employees, what sort of Operations they are involved in and so on…
Therefore, this post is about Touchstone Communication Pioneer Call Center in Pakistan provided Jobs in Call Center to more then 1000 employees
What this Post Contains:
Introduction
-Initial Days
Rise of Touchstone Communication [Call Center dealing mostly in Mortgage Products]
-Getting Maximum Projects.
-An Inspiration for Call Center Industry in Pakistan.
-Providing Jobs in Call Center to more then 700 Employees
-Touchstone not just a Call Center but a Life Style.
Mutually Agreed Pillars of Touchstone.
-Michael Thorn.
-Tom Solon.
-Yawar.
Fall of Touchstone Communication.
-Farukh Aslam.
-Mujeeb.
-Ali Janjua.
-Raheel Bukhari.
-Sana Khan
-Ali Raazi.
Some Suggestions
Question
Can Touchstone Get back to its previous status?
************************************************
Introduction:
Touchstone Communication was considered to be the Best Call Center in not just Islamabad but in Pakistan. In a very small period of time Touchstone Communication became of the top preferred employer by the “Youth” and also one of the top paying employer in Islamabad, Capital City of Pakistan.
The Management of Touchstone Communication Tom Solon, Michael Thorn, Yawar (Fortunately for Touchstone M. Billal Waris & Awais Malik) Left Touchstone Communication quite early otherwise what have happened to Touchstone Communication would have happened a lot sooner.
[Off Topic] The loyalty level with any company of those two individual could be guessed by the fact that they both were working in “MOBILINK” and one has left it for Telenor and the other one can’t wait … Anyways this Post is not about them however, as I said this blog is all about “Hard Truth”
In the Initial few years Touchstone Communication saw extra-ordinary growth in terms of Projects and Employees. Year 2003 Touchstone Communication was not just a company anymore its was becoming more of a Life Style. Working in the night, dressing casually getting a Salary of more then 25 K and a Monthly Bonus on the Average 50 K with overtime what else was the any CSR looking for. Having parties, ordering pizzas in office, trips all the employees were having time of there life. Touchstone was not just a workplace it was a Brand Name which gave them identity and Pride. The Call Center Training, Call Center Softwares Solutions was admirable.
With real time conversation with over 12 employees [7 CSR, 1 SLE, 1 Team Lead and 1 Project Manager] all gave the names of Tom Solon, Michael Thorn, Yawar Mubarik, as the reason for the success of Touchstone Communication in Pakistan.
Rise of Touchstone Communication:
Year 2001 Mortgage Industry was at its peak in the USA and Call Center Industry was no where to be found in Pakistan. In order to encourage more investor in the Call Center Facility the Govt. of Pakistan gave extra ordinary facilities and rebates to the Call Center Investors. Thus with comparatively marginal cost Touchstone Communication was making huge Profits.
The foreign Management from Texas was making sure they get all the cream projects from the USA in Mortgage Industry and then outsource them back here in Touchstone Communication which is way cheaper then even any operational BPO in India.
Touchstone Communication started with 2 Mortgage Projects and 1 Collection Project with 20 CSR’s with 1 Hall not well furnished, in a very short period of time evolved into 12 Mortgage Projects , 2 Collection Project and 1 Inbound Project.
This was the time when they had more projects then they can handle, hiring was at its peak. All the CSR’s were requested to check there phonebooks and refer as many people as they can and for the referral they would be paid (3K/Refferal to be exact)
More space was acquired more seats were placed more CSR’s and with more teams came more promotions so growth was picking up the pace too.
Touchstone saw such a phenomenal success that one of the Top Mortgage Lender in US Country Wide Mortgage & Washington Mutual also outsourced its Lead Generation to Touchstone Communication based on its Quality and Quantity of Leads.
Touchstone Communication was considered to be the Best Call Center in not just Islamabad but in Pakistan. In a very small period of time Touchstone Communication became of the top preferred employer by the “Youth” and also one of the top paying employer in Islamabad, Capital City of Pakistan.
The Management of Touchstone Communication Tom Solon, Michael Thorn, Yawar (Fortunately for Touchstone M. Billal Waris & Awais Malik) Left Touchstone Communication quite early otherwise what have happened to Touchstone Communication would have happened a lot sooner.
[Off Topic] The loyalty level with any company of those two individual could be guessed by the fact that they both were working in “MOBILINK” and one has left it for Telenor and the other one can’t wait … Anyways this Post is not about them however, as I said this blog is all about “Hard Truth”
In the Initial few years Touchstone Communication saw extra-ordinary growth in terms of Projects and Employees. Year 2003 Touchstone Communication was not just a company anymore its was becoming more of a Life Style. Working in the night, dressing casually getting a Salary of more then 25 K and a Monthly Bonus on the Average 50 K with overtime what else was the any CSR looking for. Having parties, ordering pizzas in office, trips all the employees were having time of there life. Touchstone was not just a workplace it was a Brand Name which gave them identity and Pride. The Call Center Training, Call Center Softwares Solutions was admirable.
With real time conversation with over 12 employees [7 CSR, 1 SLE, 1 Team Lead and 1 Project Manager] all gave the names of Tom Solon, Michael Thorn, Yawar Mubarik, as the reason for the success of Touchstone Communication in Pakistan.
Rise of Touchstone Communication:
Year 2001 Mortgage Industry was at its peak in the USA and Call Center Industry was no where to be found in Pakistan. In order to encourage more investor in the Call Center Facility the Govt. of Pakistan gave extra ordinary facilities and rebates to the Call Center Investors. Thus with comparatively marginal cost Touchstone Communication was making huge Profits.
The foreign Management from Texas was making sure they get all the cream projects from the USA in Mortgage Industry and then outsource them back here in Touchstone Communication which is way cheaper then even any operational BPO in India.
Touchstone Communication started with 2 Mortgage Projects and 1 Collection Project with 20 CSR’s with 1 Hall not well furnished, in a very short period of time evolved into 12 Mortgage Projects , 2 Collection Project and 1 Inbound Project.
This was the time when they had more projects then they can handle, hiring was at its peak. All the CSR’s were requested to check there phonebooks and refer as many people as they can and for the referral they would be paid (3K/Refferal to be exact)
More space was acquired more seats were placed more CSR’s and with more teams came more promotions so growth was picking up the pace too.
Touchstone saw such a phenomenal success that one of the Top Mortgage Lender in US Country Wide Mortgage & Washington Mutual also outsourced its Lead Generation to Touchstone Communication based on its Quality and Quantity of Leads.
Beginning of the End:
Start of 2004 one by one all the Leaders of Touchstone Communication “Yawar Mubarik then Michael Thorn” for one reason or the other left Touchstone Communication. TS by now was probably too much expanded. The Management was left in the hands of “Mujeeb, Wisely, Farah Karmali with Tom Solon not present in Pakistan”
With Over 700 employees and incompetent management [as quoted by 70 % of CSR as reason of downfall of Touchstone Communication] 2006 was the year when the Fall Started.
A Fall was quite expected where the illogical promotions were becoming a routine, CSR were not given there hard earned Bonus on time, they were denied overtime, leaves and Retention Bonus [Sort of Provident Bonus, but not exactly]
Start of 2004 one by one all the Leaders of Touchstone Communication “Yawar Mubarik then Michael Thorn” for one reason or the other left Touchstone Communication. TS by now was probably too much expanded. The Management was left in the hands of “Mujeeb, Wisely, Farah Karmali with Tom Solon not present in Pakistan”
With Over 700 employees and incompetent management [as quoted by 70 % of CSR as reason of downfall of Touchstone Communication] 2006 was the year when the Fall Started.
A Fall was quite expected where the illogical promotions were becoming a routine, CSR were not given there hard earned Bonus on time, they were denied overtime, leaves and Retention Bonus [Sort of Provident Bonus, but not exactly]
The illogical Promotions and Firing of Employees became a routine where Ali Janjua became Director, Monim Raja Director , Sana Khan Project Manager, Adnan Zahoor Project Manager, Haadia Jamil (TL) and so on all pointed out straight towards Management Blunders.
Nov 2007, CSR’s were forcefully sent on leaves, Quality Control check were started to be used as excuses for firing CSR’s. CSR’s were not even given Basic Pay’s.
Mar 2008 face to face fight between Farukh Aslam and Tom Solon. For more then a week Touchstone Communication Facility remained closed. All the Directors were fired by Farukh Aslam and when Tom Solon came back he rehired everyone and after a hard fight that went to the court according the the source the issue was settled in favor of Tom Solon and Farukh was out of the picture so were more then 400 employees.
The expansion halls were again vacated and Touchstone Communication was back to just 2 halls.
According to the latest reports, all the directors are fired and some who got the chance they resigned and Team Leads have been demoted to the post of CSR and only a few well perceived CSR’s are not working and to increase the irony all on “Purely Commission based”
Key Factors in Fall of Touchstone:
1) Fall of Mortgage Industry in USA.
2) Bad Management.
3) Weak Human Resource.
4) Ineffective Employee Retaining.
5) Lack of Internal Communication.
Now highlighting all these issues and providing all these details was also suppose to provide a heard wake up call for the Top Management of Touchstone Communication Call Center. We at Exposed Blog and all the Pakistani’s and all those guys who have previously worked @ Touchstone Communication Call Center are looking for the Company to pull itself from this predicament and regain its lost identity.
Before Ending Let me narrate few names forwarded in my emails who were part of the Success and who contributed to the Failure of Touchstone Communication.
Success :
Nov 2007, CSR’s were forcefully sent on leaves, Quality Control check were started to be used as excuses for firing CSR’s. CSR’s were not even given Basic Pay’s.
Mar 2008 face to face fight between Farukh Aslam and Tom Solon. For more then a week Touchstone Communication Facility remained closed. All the Directors were fired by Farukh Aslam and when Tom Solon came back he rehired everyone and after a hard fight that went to the court according the the source the issue was settled in favor of Tom Solon and Farukh was out of the picture so were more then 400 employees.
The expansion halls were again vacated and Touchstone Communication was back to just 2 halls.
According to the latest reports, all the directors are fired and some who got the chance they resigned and Team Leads have been demoted to the post of CSR and only a few well perceived CSR’s are not working and to increase the irony all on “Purely Commission based”
Key Factors in Fall of Touchstone:
1) Fall of Mortgage Industry in USA.
2) Bad Management.
3) Weak Human Resource.
4) Ineffective Employee Retaining.
5) Lack of Internal Communication.
Now highlighting all these issues and providing all these details was also suppose to provide a heard wake up call for the Top Management of Touchstone Communication Call Center. We at Exposed Blog and all the Pakistani’s and all those guys who have previously worked @ Touchstone Communication Call Center are looking for the Company to pull itself from this predicament and regain its lost identity.
Before Ending Let me narrate few names forwarded in my emails who were part of the Success and who contributed to the Failure of Touchstone Communication.
Success :
Michael Thorn , Yawar Mubarik , Tayabba & Gerry Sans , Sid Hasan , Muhammad Ali , Ali Sharif , Moeen , Fazil Gardezi ,Asif Sandhu
Failure:
Farukh Aslam, Mujeeb Zahoor, Awais Malik & Billal Waris [Tough they left early] but feed back is still bad about these guys, Ali Janjua, Sana Khan, Monim Raja, Raheel Bukhari, Ali Razi
THE BIG QUESTION REMAINS:
Do add in your comments and let us know weather you think Touchstone Communication Call Center will be able to survive the recent Downfall or its going to Fold?
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