Call centres face hard times

Call centres in Canada have fallen on some hard times recently with the latest blow seeing the loss of 1 100 jobs in Ottawa, says Canada.com.

The shutdown of this Dell contact centre comes in the wake of a similar closure by Dell in Edmonton, which put 900 people out of work.

"There was a real focus on [call centres] in the late '90s, but I think it's pretty much levelled off. I wouldn't say it's necessarily growing but it's holding its own," says Chuck Davidson, VP of policy and communications for the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce.

According to a new study, online shopping customers appreciate the opportunity to speak with a call centre representative about their purchase, reports Direct Response.

E-commerce Web sites that lack e-contact centre details were cited as one of the top frustrations associated with online shopping by 23% of people surveyed by Opinion Research Corporation last month.

Just under a quarter of those polled claimed they would welcome the chance to discuss their purchase with a member of staff.

UK call centres may find the ideal opportunity to experiment with flexible working practices next month, states Direct Response.

According to Call Centre Focus, the Work Wise Week, taking place between 15 and 21 May, provides a good chance for call centres to experiment with home-based agents.

The not-for-profit initiative encourages smarter working practices in Britain, such as flexible hours and remote positions.