News release: Contact Centre Forum supports boom industry

Abstract

Around forty managers and team leaders from call centres across the region attended the
Lancashire and Cumbria Contact Centre Forum meeting at Lancashire Ambulance
Headquarters last week.
The Forum was launched by the University of Central Lancashire to promote and
support what is fast becoming one of the boom industries of the north west. Members
hope it will enable them more easily to discuss current issues, share best practice and
update themselves on the latest industry developments.
Speakers at the first meeting included Geoff Simms, Managing Director of Hays
Personnel, who spoke about recruitment and retention issues within the industry, and
Bob Hale from the University of Central Lancashire's Business School, who announced
the launch of a new range of qualiflcations in Contact Centre Management.
The new courses have been developed with an advisory group drawn from contact
centre employers in the region and they are unique in being tailored to meet the
particular needs of the industry. Clare Short from Preston College also provided an
overview of the NVQ qualiflcations the College offers for Call Centre staff.
"Forum members agree that the one major consideration for Contact Centres wanting to
retain the best staff is a career development pathway providing training and
advancement," says Bob Hale. 'We're sure that these new courses will help us to
achieve this."
On the need for the Forum, he said: "Managing customer relationships is going to be the
key to the survival and growth of organisations and with customers now expecting
round-the-clock service, more and more companies are looking to contact centres to
provide this. It's estimated that the industry employs 38,000 people in East and West
Lancashire alone and we hope the Forum will contribute to its continuing success and
future development as a major employer in the region."
Members of the forum include the University, Lancashire County Council, United
Utilities, Airtours, Preston College, RMS, Inward Investment Cumbria and the
Lancashire Ambulance Service. Plans for the future include an annual awards dinner to
celebrate the best in management and operation of centres in the region.
The next meeting of the Forum will be on Thursday 23rd May. Contact Shirley Russo
on 0800 195 0055 or email.s.m.:r.1.lS.S.Q .. @JJs:;lg..n.J!g.,1!k for details.
15 May 2002
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For further details, please contact Bob Hale or Shirley Russo at the Lancashire Business
School on 0800 195 0055, email smrusso@uclan.ac.uk.