Member Article

New taskforce to promote region as customer contact centre hotbed

Newcastle-based recruiter NRG has partnered with local authority investment team and LEPs as part of a new initiative to promote the north east’s growing reputation as a contact centre hotbed and encouraging more talent into the booming industry.

The North East Customer Contact Partnership is a public and private sector programme that will look to change perceptions about working in the industry amid huge job growth fuelled by reshoring efforts from major brand and companies.

Over 3,700 new customer contact announcements have been made in the past year as more companies look to repatriate positions that had previously been outsourced abroad.

The new partnership will see NRG working together with local authorities and LEPs to develop an action plan which will help to promote the industry as a career path for local workers and ensure that centres are able to fill their available positions.

Julie Mordue, Client Relationship Manager at NRG said: “The North East is home to some of the world’s largest brand names and has many fantastic success stories which are to be celebrated.

“NRG is delighted to support this initiative to showcase career opportunities and change the sector’s poor image.”

The chief executive of The Call Centre Management Association, Ann-Marie Stagg, will be hosting the partnership’s first collaborative event on 12 September at the Quadrus Centre in Boldon Colliery, where she will outline the challenges facing the industry and encourage discussion on sector-specific issues.

Stagg commented: “The Call Centre Management Association have a strong relationship with Contact Centres in the North East and are delighted to be involved with this initiative.

“The sector has huge strengths and working together to raise standards will help it to realise its growth potential.”