I want to set up business in India (Goa)

high-lander

Crazy idea that maybe you can help me with. I run a small internet company (a dating site). Thinking of maybe buying a place in Goa and staffing it with say 3 indian customer support people to start with. Basically I need an Internet DSL connection (for them to work with) as their job is admin via the Internet and answering emails. Presently we subcontract some admin to an Indian Company and pay 500US dollars per month fee for full time admin person.

Why buy a place in Goa?
Well if I am going to have Indian staff anyway might as well have someplace that myself and the other guys in the UK wouldn't mind hanging out for a couple of months a year ;-) If I employ my own people I can afford to pay them more than they might get elsewhere - so theoretically ]could get better/happier workers.

Any pointers for me - from you experienced people out in India?
LIke what is DSL internet availability/cost like in Goa? Are there educated/motivated people in the area (prob recent graduates) to do this sort of work (or do you need to go to big cities for this)? ..what is a good wage for them? ..etc.

My fantasy would be a place that was Irish pub downstairs, internet cafe above that, our internet offices above that, and accommodation for me on top ;-) ...don't suppose you know any of these. ...yes and it should be near the beach too.

I plan to come to Indai in 1 month for a scout round

seventies'hippy

Hi high-lander.
I'm presuming you're aiming your service towards Goan/Indian citizens,

I was just wondering if you've been to India/Goa before.
Have you looked into their social structure & way of life.

* You'll certainly find Irish Pubs there, along with a whole load of other western influences which supply the demands of western tourists who don't really care wheather it's goa or somewhere around the Med, just so long as they can have sunshine cheap living & a place to watch football on TV.....

Reformist

why don't you partner with me in India there is a lot of BPO business you could get from you place, and if you can get business i'll get you a permanent place in goa, the hills near the himalayas, in the isles of andaban anywhere you want real trippy places here other than goa as well


EDITED to remove link

high-lander

Thanks reformist and seventies hippy.

Seventies hippy - actually the business is pretty much for UK people at the moment. We have 60,000 members. I just need customer support people who can answer emails and administer a website. As long as they can write good English, work a computer and are intelligent/motivated ...anyone/anywhere in the world is OK! The upshot is as labour is cheaper in India than UK I can employ 3 people instead of one. 2 extra people = better service and I have a whole load of ideas how to use 2 extra peeps in an innovative manner ...not just trying to pennypinch on wages! I have never been to Goa before - but would like to visit soon (April). The Irish pub thang was a bit more for our own personal pleasures. ;-)

Reformist - 512k broadband is fine. I would certainly consider working with someone locally like you. Is 512 generally available/reliable? and roughly what cost? ...like if it's really expenseive or unreliable, etc then this is a problem. My idea is to combine business with pleasure... hence why I though 'Goa' ...but I have no idea if 'Goa' is suitable for this as maybe the local people aint skilled up or 'into' this sort of work in the same way that Indian big city people are. The place doesn't have to be too 'trippy' ...just a nice place for me to work for a few months of the year. Himalayas sound nice but I've got to have 512k interent and be resaonably accessible from UK (a massive train journey after a 12 hour flight isn't ideal)

Reformist

labor is cheap so you actually are the good boss paying high, and 516 KBPS is as cheap as 10 Pounds a month, very reliable, you get mobile broadband up to 125 KBPS set up with in 3-4 hrs. Gurgaon in Haryana is one of the hub, i can maybe market your dating site in india as well, huge market here as well for wedding, matchmaking,dating, singles sites.Very good english at par or better than international standards.By the way the site is under construction live, i am sorry it is shabby since we are takeaways our main mode of advertisement is through our outlets.
Like i said if you do business here leave it to me to get you the pleasures.

high-lander

Reformist - where are u based/located?

I am travelling in 6 weeksish to India - Goa + Ahmedabad + maybe other places

It would be good to meet

Reformist

I am based at Gurgaon, near the national capital of India new delhi.you could mail me from the contact us in my web site and we could take it from there. alternate you could mail me at "datta_bikram" this is a hotmail address. I am not typing it, as it is, to avoid it being edited according to the policy of this web site. i am looking forward to hearing from you. I am scheduled to go to Turkey and Europe for 10 days in April so we can reschedule our selves accordingly.
best regards
bikram