High-tech call centre creates 300 jobs for Glasgow

Three hundred jobs will be created by a call centre opening in Glasgow today, which says it will generate £50m for the local economy.

Credit management and outsourcing company bcwgroup hopes the high-tech £5m call centre in Rutherglen will reverse offshoring to low-cost countries in Asia and bring a much-needed boost to the economy of one of Glasgow's highest areas of unemployment.

The call centre, which is based on three floors of a converted parish church, was created with the help of a £1.6m development grant from the Scottish Executive.

Paul Fraser, group managing director of bcwgroup, said in a statement: "This truly is a next-generation contact centre offering a new approach to staff in addition to an investment in technology."

The centre will offer answering and contact services in up to 30 different languages. It will also provide its staff with fresh fruit on a daily basis and a de-stressing area where operators can have a head and shoulder massage, in an attempt to ditch the 'sweatshop' image of call centres.

"Investing in our employees and treating them with respect gives them an integrity and confidence which reflects in the way they interact with our clients' customers," Fraser added.

About 80 staff have been recruited so far and bcwgroup expects more will be taken on over the next few months.