Call Centers Answer Glasgow's Need for Jobs
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| British mobile phone specialist O2 is expanding in Glasgow with a center that will eventually employ 1,500 people. |
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hit by Swedish rock group ABBA in the late 1970s contains the lyric "I called you last night from Glasgow." It's certainly not the theme song for the Scottish call center industry, but perhaps that line from Super Trouper is at least somewhat prophetic as Scotland's largest city is thriving with new call center investment.
Glasgow, a city of 600,000, has lost much of its industrial base in recent decades, and the contact center successes are making a dent in the city's high unemployment rate. Glasgow is one of Europe's leading contact center cities with more than 100.
The latest is British mobile phone firm O2, which announced in May that it would invest £18 million (U.S.$32.9 million) and promised to create 1,500 jobs at a new customer service center in the city's Skypark business complex. The Scottish government is providing an enticement of £7 million (U.S.$12.8 million) in Regional Selective Assistance (RSA).
Francesca Rea, O2's general manager, customer service for the U.K, says the facility will help support the company's 14 million customers in the U.K. and complements existing centers in Leeds, Bury and Warrington. She says Glasgow's "customer-focused" work force played a role in its landing the facility over other sites in Scotland and northern England.
Also locating in Glasgow is Dell, which plans to create 400 jobs initially and a total of 850 by 2008. The computer giant will receive nearly £7.5 million (U.S.$13.7 million).
Other recent industry activity in the region comes from O2's major competitor, Vodafone, whose Ireland subsidiary is establishing a call center near Dublin that will create 100 jobs. Netherlands-based bank ING has opened a facility in Cardiff, Wales, that promises up to 350 jobs.
Glasgow, a city of 600,000, has lost much of its industrial base in recent decades, and the contact center successes are making a dent in the city's high unemployment rate. Glasgow is one of Europe's leading contact center cities with more than 100.
The latest is British mobile phone firm O2, which announced in May that it would invest £18 million (U.S.$32.9 million) and promised to create 1,500 jobs at a new customer service center in the city's Skypark business complex. The Scottish government is providing an enticement of £7 million (U.S.$12.8 million) in Regional Selective Assistance (RSA).
Francesca Rea, O2's general manager, customer service for the U.K, says the facility will help support the company's 14 million customers in the U.K. and complements existing centers in Leeds, Bury and Warrington. She says Glasgow's "customer-focused" work force played a role in its landing the facility over other sites in Scotland and northern England.
Also locating in Glasgow is Dell, which plans to create 400 jobs initially and a total of 850 by 2008. The computer giant will receive nearly £7.5 million (U.S.$13.7 million).
Other recent industry activity in the region comes from O2's major competitor, Vodafone, whose Ireland subsidiary is establishing a call center near Dublin that will create 100 jobs. Netherlands-based bank ING has opened a facility in Cardiff, Wales, that promises up to 350 jobs.
