Wanna Argument?
Always On Call? The Competitiveness of the UK's Call Centre Industry
What other options are there for organisations wanting to set up call centres?
The DTI study compared the call centre industry in six competing locations. The following table summarises their findings:
| Â | Ireland | Netherlands | India | Philippines | South Africa | UK |
| Call Centres | 185 | 1000 | 1561 | 401 | N/A | 5320 |
| Customer Service Agents | 19,500 | 70,000 | 92,000 | 24,000 | N/A | 494,254 |
| Average Agent Starting Salary (£) | 11,827 | 12,000 | 1,502 | 1,600 | 3,500 | 12,945 |
| Agent Attrition Rate (%) p.a. | 22 | 25 | 29 | 10 | 8 | 15 |
| Premium Office Rents (£/m2) | 323 | 217 | 62 | 71 | 73 | 303 |
Source: The UK Contact Centre Industry: A Study
Extension Activity
Imagine you are a business adviser for a large financial services firm. Use the information in the table above to write a document for senior management, arguing in favour of keeping your company's call centre in the UK. Gather evidence on the following points to make your arguments more effective:
- Cost of labour
- Retention of labour (turnover or attrition rates)
- Cost of premises
- Supply of experienced labour
- Broader costs of relocation