India’s Role in Optimizing the Omnichannel Experience
When considering India’s role in the omnichannel experience, it is important to note that the time difference between the DATAMARK headquarters in El Paso, Texas, and Chennai, India, is 11.5 hours. This means that a colleague arriving at the office in Texas with a coffee at 8 a.m. can message a colleague in India, knowing that it is 7:30 pm over there.
Omnichannel in India
DATAMARK has delivery centers in Mumbai and Chennai, both in India. Both are in the same time zone and are very large and important Indian cities with big populations. In fact, Mumbai has the largest population of any city in India, with over 12 million people. In the US, only New York City comes close with 8.8 million people.
There are 46 Indian cities with a population of over one million, and the country’s total population is 1.4 billion, making it the country with the largest population on earth.
The contrast between the time zones in the US and India makes it a very interesting place to locate services, such as back-office and customer service processes. By blending teams located in different locations, it is possible to create a ‘follow the sun’ operation where each team hands off to another as their day closes.
Follow The Sun: 24/7 Support
Our team usually operates by arranging an early and a later shift in India, working with a team in the US or Mexico. This means that the North American team can work a regular daytime shift and then hand it over to the early shift in India, followed by the later Indian shift, followed by a handover back to North America.
This flexibility means that any client working with the DATAMARK team in North America can switch on 24-hour support by working with us to use the follow-the-sun model. This can be a very powerful tool for companies that need to offer 24/7 customer service operations.
Night shifts can be hard on recruitment teams in the US. Not many people want to work nights on rotating shifts, meaning the workdays change each week. Recruiting the team is harder, and they usually demand more compensation for the inconvenience of working nights. They are also more likely to become dissatisfied and quit.
This leads to the issue of retention and a constant turnover of employees, who all need onboarding and training. An important benefit of the Follow the Sun model is that it avoids the requirement for a night shift and offers 24/7 coverage without all these headaches.
Advanced Technology
It’s also important to state that our India team is extremely advanced. They are well-trained and use the same systems as the North American teams. They are not just handling voice calls – they can handle all customer channels and are now using our DataSmart AI Knowledge Base.
Enable 24/7 Omnichannel Support with DATAMARK’s Global Operations
This ability to plan for a 24/7 omnichannel support service without employee dissatisfaction and turnover demonstrates the value of a follow-the-sun arrangement with India. Many of our clients already manage their business processes this way.
FAQs About Global Follow-the-Sun Operations
DATAMARK implements comprehensive documentation systems and real-time collaboration tools to prevent communication gaps during shift transitions. Each team logs detailed case notes, customer preferences, and action items before handover, ensuring the incoming shift has complete context. Regular cross-training sessions between the US and India teams also establish familiarity with processes and escalation procedures, minimizing miscommunication risks across time zones.
The follow-the-sun model is scalable and works for businesses of various sizes, not just large enterprises. Small and mid-sized companies can benefit from 24/7 support without the substantial investment required to staff night shifts domestically. The key factor is whether your business needs round-the-clock customer availability—whether that’s due to customer expectations, competitive positioning, or serving customers across multiple time zones.
DATAMARK’s India teams are selected for strong English communication skills and receive training on North American business culture and customer expectations. The recruitment process prioritizes candidates with clear communication abilities and cultural awareness. Ongoing coaching ensures teams understand regional nuances, idiomatic expressions, and customer service expectations specific to North American markets, enabling natural and effective customer interactions.
Yes, the large talent pools in Mumbai and Chennai provide flexibility to scale operations based on business needs. Companies can increase staffing during peak seasons or reduce capacity during slower periods without the constraints often faced when trying to adjust domestic night-shift teams. This scalability is particularly valuable for businesses with cyclical demand patterns or those testing 24/7 support before full commitment.
DATAMARK implements enterprise-grade security protocols across all locations, including encrypted data transmission, secure access controls, and compliance with international data protection standards. Customer information is protected by the same security infrastructure whether handled in North America or India, with regular audits ensuring consistent adherence to privacy regulations. Cross-border data handling follows strict compliance frameworks to maintain customer trust and regulatory requirements.
