ScottishPower deal buoys call centre operator Kura

A Glasgow-based call centre outsourcer and software specialist is growing its headcount and adding two sites after securing a five-year deal with ScottishPower.

Kura is growing its headcount following the ScottishPower deal. Picture: PA Wire

Kura said the contract makes it the energy giant’s largest outsourcing partner, offering telephone services in the UK, supported by about 1,000 Kura staff and with about 500 moving over from Capita.

The firm is growing staff to about 1,800, and adding a combined 700 seats to its “rapidly expanding” portfolio with sites in Forres and Liverpool, with the latter marking its first expansion into England. In Forres, Kura takes over the call centre from Capita, securing more than 100 jobs.

Brian Bannatyne, chief executive at Kura, said: “These new sites will help create the right learning environment for the culture we are building and provide a great platform for expansion within the UK.”

200 Voices: find out more about the people who have shaped Scotland

Kura also said the agreement ties in with ScottishPower’s promise of delivering all call-handling services from UK-based call centres.

The new contracts will also support current service teams and local communities by concentrating on call centres in existing ScottishPower regions.

ScottishPower’s customer service director Lynda Clayton said: “Our supplier selection process ensured that quality in the provision of telephony services would be at the heart of our customer experience, and always put our customers first.

“We are delighted to extend our partnership with Kura and we are looking forward to working closely with them to deliver best in class service to our customers”.

Kura’s other clients include Vodafone, several Scottish colleges, Npower and specialist insurer Hiscox.

Click here to ‘Like’ The Scotsman Business on Facebook