Call centre provides 68 new jobs in Portadown

An IDB backed call centre on the Garvaghy Road in Portadown is set to provide 68 jobs over the next eighteen months.

Enterprise Minster Sir Reg Empey announced the new IDB investment on Thursday September 27 with Kelsey Buck, Answercall Direct's Managing Director.

Ms Buck said: “An investment of £913,000 by Answercall Direct in a new customer contact centre in Portadown, following a substantial growth in its business, has already provided 68 new jobs as part of an expansion programme over the next 18 months.”

As part of an expansion programme Answercall Direct are to relocate their premises to Mayfair Business Centre on the Garvaghy Road. The expansion, which has created 68 jobs, received backing of £360,400 by IDB towards the costs of the investment.

Sir Reg Empey said: "Answercall Direct is one of a relatively small number of locally-owned customer contact centres in an international traded services which is experiencing strong growth. Our support for this ambitious company reflects a commitment to promote faster growth in services by encouraging more companies to explore business in export and external markets.

"This expansion will also make a significant contribution to employment in the Portadown area and encourage other services operations to grasp the business opportunity provided by the ready availability of quality people in centres throughout Northern Ireland."

Outlining the reasons for the expansion, Ms Buck said: "This expansion is designed to enable us to provide a broader base of outsourced call centre services to an existing customer base that includes BT and to position us for continued expansion within the global industry that is projected to treble in value terms over the next three years.

"This provides a substantial business opportunity for companies which can provide the quality of services and sharp client focus which the market demands. Our objective is to win a share of this business by establishing a reputation for a superior level of service and a cost competitive package.

"Because the customer contact industry is intensely competitive we must be able to offer clients an effective, affordable and technologically advanced service." (AMcE)