Scotland lands 1,000 new call-centre jobs

Alistair Niederer, CEO of Teleperformance UK. Picture: Contributed

Teleperformance is recruiting customer service advisers, trainers and team managers for call centres in Glasgow, Airdrie, Erskine and Kilmarnock.

The firm, which generated more than €2.3 billion (£2bn) in revenues last year, already has 7,400 UK staff, including many north of the Border.

Earlier this year, the Paris-based group said it was to create 500 jobs in Scotland.

The latest recruitment, which was announced by First Minister Alex Salmond at Holyrood, will take the company’s Scottish workforce to more than 4,000.

Teleperformance provides customer care, technical support, call centre, debt collection and social media services to organisations such as Traveline Scotland and the Student Loans Company.

Along with private sector clients in the retail, technology and utility sectors, it carries out work for public bodies such as HM Revenue & Customs and the Identity & Passport Service.

Alistair Niederer, chief executive of Teleperformance UK, Ireland and South Africa, said the announcement was a reflection of the company’s success in Scotland and the rest of the UK.

He said: “The current growth plans for Teleperformance in Scotland reflect a confidence in the future, not just for Teleperformance but for the clients we serve.

“This reflects the level of growth and confidence we are seeing in our business across the UK.”

The latest jobs boost comes after Teleperformance was handed a £2.9 million regional selective assistance investment grant from the Scottish Government to help with the company’s expansion.

Mr Salmond said: “This is a welcome boost for employment and further strengthens Scotland’s position in outperforming the UK for securing inward investment.”

The investment was also welcomed by Scotland Office minister David Mundell, as he led a delegation of French business leaders on a tour of the Rosyth shipyard in Fife.

He said: “This news is a big vote of confidence in our workforce here in Scotland and another encouraging sign for the UK economy”

SNP MSP Sandra White, whose Glasgow Kelvin constituency is home to a Teleperformance centre, said: “Scotland has been outperforming the UK when it comes to securing inward investment and the vital jobs that come with it.

“Scotland’s success at using the powers currently available to the Scottish Government to attract jobs and investment is a commendable one, but with the full powers of an independent Scotland, we can achieve even more to grow our economy.”

French-born SNP MSP Christian Allard also welcomed the deal.

He said: “This partnership with a French company is the latest demonstration of the warm and close relationship Scotland enjoys with France and our other EU neighbours.

“With a Yes vote next year, we will be able to build and develop these positive relationships and play a full and active part in

Europe.”