Hundreds of call centre jobs at risk

HUNDREDS of jobs at a Glasgow call centre are at risk after an outsourcing contract was cancelled early.

The telecommunications company Three outsourced its call centre operations to Capita, which is based in the Skypark offices in Finnieston, in 2019.

Around 380 jobs are understood to be at risk but a spokeswoman for consultants hired by Three said the firm hoped to find new roles at the company taking over the contract.

Capita insists that the contract cancellation was not due to poor performance but because of “a desire to consolidate their operations with a single provider”.

Three’s contract will move to the Indian IT and business outsourcing company Tech Mahindra in March 2021.

The firm already manages the majority of the phone company’s call centre operations and Three said it will work with Capita and Tech Mahindra to “ensure a smooth transition of activities”.

A spokeswoman for the firm hired by Three said: “Following a review of our contact centre operations, our current partnership with Capita will conclude in March 2021.

“Most of this work will move to Tech Mahindra, who already manage the majority of our contact centre estate, with a proportion moving directly into Three and will be based at our existing Glasgow office.

“We’ll be working with Capita and Tech Mahindra to ensure a smooth transition of activities. Capita will secure redeployment opportunities for advisers wherever possible.”

Capita confirmed it was looking into how to find new jobs for people working on the Three contract. A spokeswoman for the firm said: “Three’s decision to conclude their call centre partnership with us was driven by a desire to consolidate their operations with a single provider, not poor performance. A formal consultation process has begun for most of our Three customer service colleagues in Glasgow, with a proportion moving directly over to work for Three.”