Thus keeps it local with £12m HP call centre win

In what it calls a vote for the UK call centre industry, Thus has won a 16-month contract to handle HP UK customer and channel partner enquiries.

The £12m UK Customer Management Centre deal in Glasgow is the third extension to a contract first awarded by HP-acquired Compaq in 1999 and includes sales generation as well as support activities across the HP range of products and services.

Gillian Campbell, head of contact centres at Thus, said the Scottish telco has "good visibility across the call centre market... including offshoring" but that there is a "richness and day-to-day understanding within the UK".

A number of high-profile companies are moving UK call centre operations overseas, with India a common relocation point. However, Thus' Campbell said there are hidden costs to offshoring above operational overheads, including the expense of due diligence.

The Glasgow facility sees Thus provide sales agents, team leaders, infrastructure and support staff, with HP senior management leading the way, in line with a 'co-sourcing' set-up.

In separate news, security software company Tarmin Solutions has given up its outsourced Indian call centre operation, instead opting to interact with its resellers through automated Virtual Interactive Assistant technology from Vytec Solutions.