1.2 What other services could be off-shored? EXL runs the Delhi-based call centre for Norwich Union, the UK’s largest insurance company. The call centre employs around 900 call executives, and is clean, spacious and air-conditioned. It has a busy but pleasant atmosphere, not unlike some of the better call centres in Europe.

Vikram Talwar, from EXL, explains:

Demand has grown substantially over the last six to nine months. We have about one company a week come and visit us. There are two particular reasons. One obviously is cost. It saves approximately

£20,000 per person that they move to India. But there is also the area of quality and productivity. We have only graduates working for us which means that the minimum standard qualification an employee must have to answer a call in India is a university degree.