Member Article

Tyneside contact centre announces plans to create 500 jobs by 2017

Customer contact centre First Contact Group has announced plans to create more than 500 new jobs by the start of 2017.

Working with the likes of Scottish Power, Spark Energy and Utilita Energy, the Tyneside-based business has generated 50% growth in sales in the last two months and is targeting a turnover of £20m by 2017.

Planning to create 200 new jobs across a variety of roles at its Newburn contact centre, the firm also operates a contact centre in Livingston, Scotland, where it also expects to create new posts over the next 12 months.

Across the group, administration, customer service advisers, sales agents and managers are being recruited in a move that will significantly boost employee numbers from the current level of 150 people.

The firm also has plans to integrate 300 people, currently self-employed, providing customer sales and field services nationwide for Utilita Energy, as part of its operations based at Gateway House.

The news follows rapid expansion for the First Contact group this year, which in a move that will allow for further growth, has relocated to Gateway House where it has taken 10,000 sq. m. of office and call centre space.

Former professional footballer Neil Wilson, who first established the company to provide facilities management services for Utilita Energy, said the firm is currently recruiting more than 10 people a week to its workforce.

He said: “This year has been an extremely busy one for us as we see continued growth amid strong demand for our services, particularly around our energy-focused contact centre operations.

“Success is being driven by the quality of the services we provide and the friendly yet highly skilled and dedicated nature of our frontline sales and customer adviser teams.”

Neil said that he and fellow directors Paul Clarke and Martin Stephenson are predicting a 300% increase on current employee numbers across all his operations within the next 12 months.

He added: “We are bucking the contact centre trend and retaining our staff, actively recruiting for enthusiastic and motivated people who are keen to build a career in a relaxed, friendly and flexible working environment.

“I want to create an environment that people actually enjoy coming to work and see it as a career not just a job.”