June 4, 2004—The UK’s call center industry is set to gain around 200,000 jobs in the next three years, according to an independent report commissioned by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). “The UK Contact Centre Industry: A Study,” the first comprehensive report on the industry in the UK, states that the sector is healthy and is set to employ over 1 million people by 2007, four times more than India in the same year. The UK call center industry has grown by almost 250% since 1995.
The study, undertaken by an industry consortium in response to concerns about job losses and the global challenges facing the industry, was commissioned to study the issues affecting the UK call center industry and its capability to respond to global pressures, particularly the issue of jobs being offshored.
The report’s key findings and advice for the future are:
- The quality of service in UK call centers is high, but the government and industry need to work to improve perceptions of the UK industry.
- The skills of the call center workforce need further improvement—particularly “soft skills” like communication and customer service. Call centers are advised to develop existing training and qualifications.
- Despite perceptions of high turnover, the average length of service in a call center job is two years and months. Schools and careers offices could be provided with resources on career paths and opportunities in the industry.
- Companies should consider all the implications before taking offshoring decisions, and stakeholders (including their customers, employees, and trade unions) should be consulted.
- Evidence suggests that there are a large number of hidden and poorly understood costs associated with offshoring, such as the cost of relocating senior management, travel costs, and customer discontent.
- UK call centers need to continue improving the quality of their customers’ experience. For many businesses, call centers are the main channel for communication with customers, so a positive experience is vital to maintaining their reputation.
- Companies should encourage the ability of consumers to register with the Telephone Preference Service (which prevents companies from making unsolicited sales calls) to boost consumer confidence.
A full copy of the report (.pdf file) is available online from DTI.
