With demand for market research rising by 25-30 per cent from sectors like healthcare, auto and technology, Ahmedabad-based Azure Knowledge Corporation is looking to expand its focus on the vertical. Up by 15 per cent from current 50 per cent, the company intends to see 65 per cent of business coming from market research in the fiscal 2012-13.
"Demand for market research has been growing, especially from sectors like auto, health and technology. Moreover, our new locations in China and Kenya have been set up to cater to market research requirements. Hence, by next fiscal we hope to see 65 per cent of our business coming from market research, with rest 35 per cent contributed by financial and customer interaction services," said Jay Ruparel, chief executive officer, Azure Knowledge Corporation.
Having added around 1,100 employees in the fiscal 2011-12, the company bagged the 'Highest Employment Generator in Gujarat ICT sector – Platinum' award at the Gujarat Electronics and Software Industries Association (GESIA) Annual Awards recently.
"Over the last five years, Azure has grown from being an 800-people organisation to over 3500, consistently hiring for its Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) business," said Dushyant Joshi, CMD, Azure Knowledge Corporation.
While adding further he said, “Growing from just one delivery center at Ahmedabad in 2006, Azure now serves its global clients through eight different delivery centers across Ahmedabad (two centers), Pune, Chennai, Delhi/NCR in India, Xi’an and Guangzhou in China and Nairobi in Kenya. It also has a sales and client relationship office at Philadelphia in USA."
As against the BPO industry attrition rate of 25-30 per cent in Gujarat, the company claims to have witnessed a mere two per cent rate in recent times.
"Azure plans to hire additional 1,000 people this year to cross the 5,000 mark by end of 2012. Currently it is the only Gujarat based ICT company to cross the 3500 employee mark and among the top 10 KPO providers in India based on employee size," Ruparel added.
Meanwhile, of its total turnover of $ 20 million (Rs 98 crore approx.), exports form about 55 per cent, while the rest comes from the domestic business.
