Call Centre Investment Lifts Gloom

Although there was some bad news today for the Ulster Bank with massive losses recorded by its parent company, better tidings were being announced by the NI Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster.

She revealed that a major expansion at a Co Down call centre, Teleperformance, will deliver £10 million annually into the local economy following the creation of 610 new jobs.

It is good news for NI that far eclipses the net annual losses revealed by Royal Bank of Scotland of £24.1billion, which prompted Ulster Bank Chief Executive Cormac McCarthy to say: "We've got a very good franchise and customers, and in the long run our business will be solid."

In counterpoint to the huge banking losses, Invest Northern Ireland is upbeat and has offered over £3 million of support towards the investment at Teleperformance's Newry base.

The French-owned firm operates two customer contact centres in Newry and Bangor. It is a global leader in the provision of outsourced business services to an international client base which includes the retail, telecommunications, banking, travel and health sectors.

The new positions will range from customer service advisor level to operations management.

"This is a significant investment by an established company which will provide a welcome boost to the local economy.

"By the time all positions are filled, Teleperformance will have almost 2,000 people based at its Newry and Bangor sites, making the firm one of this region's largest employers.

"The number and variety of positions being created will offer career development opportunities in the business services sector, competitive rates of pay, and facilitate the development of valuable, transferable skills," she said, noting that it comes at a time when many companies are deferring investment plans.

"It is encouraging to see the confidence placed in Northern Ireland by international companies, which see this region as the most competitive location from which to grow their business in global markets.

"It is a resounding endorsement of the quality of our local skills base and our business environment, which Invest NI continues to actively market in order to secure investment, and reinvestment."

Jeff Smith, Chairman and Chief Executive of Teleperformance added: "With the demand for outsourcing increasing as companies look for more cost effective methods of managing key business activities, we identified a need for a major expansion at one of our UK sites which would support the development of new business opportunities across Europe.

"Invest NI worked closely with us. Their offer of support, combined with the availability of suitable property and our positive experiences in Northern Ireland over the past 11 years, resulted in our decision to invest further in the Newry site."

See: Ex-RBS Boss Urged To Give Up Pension, As 'Largest Annual Losses' Announced

(BMcC)