Eircom outsources call centre with 200 staff

EIRCOM is to take 200 staff off its payroll through an outsourcing deal with a British call centre operator

Staff at the company’s Dublin-based telesales operation will join the Capita group, a publicly-quoted British company that provides outsourcing and administrative services for public and private sector bodies.

The centre makes outgoing sales calls to customers to encourage them to take up extra Eircom services to add to their basic fixed-line package.

These include broadband high-speed internet access and add-ons such as call answering, discount packages and ancillary services. The Capita deal will be worth €20 million and will see the company take responsibility for Eircom’s sales over the next three years.

Capita executive chairman Rod Aldridge said the deal presented the company with an exciting opportunity. Mr Aldridge said Capita had a growing presence in the financial services market here and hoped to build on this in the future.

Capita’s clients in Britain include government departments, local authorities and big corporate names such as financial giants Northern Rock and Royal and Sun Alliance. It employs more than 20,000 staff.

Eircom retail managing director Cathal Magee said the deal gave Eircom greater flexibility.