Brand owners are being urged to rally to the help of unemployed people in riot-hit Croydon by outsourcing their services to social enterprise contact centre business Call Britannia.
The business, launched two years ago by industry guru Karen Darby, plans to set up ten call centres – and create 10,000 jobs – in the most deprived areas of the UK, favouring the unemployed.
The first centre opened in Croydon in 2009. At the 150-seat operation, there are 60 agents who, having been long-term unemployed, are now trained and experienced in achieving high customer service expectations. Call Britannia clients have included Kidney Research UK, Home Serve and Top Table.
Croydon has a population of over 340,000 and has seen a 70% increase since 1997 in the number of people who have been unemployed for more than a year. During the recent disturbances, the area was one of the hardest hit, with many shops – including the Reeves family furniture stores established in 1867 – raized to the ground.
Sarah Anderson CBE, chair of Call Britannia and non-executive director of Jobcentre Plus, said: “Having a call centre operation in Croydon with some very good people to run CRM programmes, we are very keen to encourage local and national businesses to speak to us about our outsourcing services that, because of our unique proposition, can not only deliver great results but also help tackle long-term unemployment in Croydon.”
