Minister urged to help attract call centre jobs (From Western Telegraph)

Minister urged to help attract call centre jobs

NEW CLIENTS are being put off from setting up business at the Cleddau Call Centre, Pembroke Dock, because its operators charge £15 an hour for every worker they supply.

This is the claim made by Mid and West Wales AM Cynog Dafis,who suggests that at least one company has been deterred by Manpower and 7Cs charges.

But both deny that there is a standard hourly charge and describe their costs as competitive.

It is now two months since hundreds of people lost their jobs at the call centre, following the collapse of ITV Digital.

Although 200 employees have retained their jobs thanks to a temporary contract with telecommunications giant, NTL, Manpower and 7C have so far failed to lure further clients.

Cynog Dafis has asked Wales' First Minister Rhodri Morgan to intervene in the bid to attract new companies.

Referring to a statement he made at the National Assembly, Mr Dafis said: 'I mentioned that at least one company had been deterred from coming to the call centre by the £15 an hour charge by Manpower. I asked the First Minister to inquire into this and to intervene to help. Unfortunately, the First Minister was not prepared to make any commitment.' Manpower and 7C have hit back at Mr Dafis' assertions, insisting their so called 'cost models' are tailored to the specific needs of each client. 'Each client is different, in terms of how they use the facility, technology, employees, resources and all the support mechanisms that are part of an outsourcing provision,' said their spokeswoman.

'There is no 'standard' hourly charge in that respect - fees are negotiated and agreed in strictest confidence with individual clients.' Filling the call centre with new clients and re-employing people from the local community remained their top priority, she added. 'We are working with an action group of public sector organisations to secure more business for the centre. A sales pipeline has been established and is progressing well, but it is impossible and unrealistic to dictate timeframes to potential new clients.

'What we can guarantee is that everyone involved will continue to do as much as they can to secure new business and create jobs in the region, which should include further essential training in new contact centre skills.'