Outsourcing: Onshore Call Centers Are Viable
Business Week, dated August 25th 2009, published an article on US-based call-center jobs that pay $100K a year.
Though it is popular opinion that the US workforce is not competitive in the fields of information technology, web development and graphic design, some companies have proved otherwise. Even with globalization changing the economic front and knowing that outsourcing is here to stay, smaller US firms feel that the jobs can be retained within the country with the right planning and incentives. They feel it can work better for the company and its employees if the jobs are not outsourced.
Take for example iQor, a call center and business outsourcing company based in Columbus, Ohio. iQor has grown revenues at the rate of 40% in the last four years and they have done this by expanding their base throughout the US. They have given their workers better health insurance and almost 50% more on salaries and bonuses than normal industry standards.
iQor handles customer management, call center work, financial services and other industry-specific tasks. Some of their clients are Capital One, the BBC, Direct TV and MetroPCS Communications.
Though they do have some operations outside the US, iQor has been successful within the US with 12 locations and about 11,000 employees. Their call center workers in the US make more than $ 100,000 annually. The company has added almost 3000 jobs in the US alone and their turnover rate is about 45% which is less than half the industry average.
Studies have always shown that paying employees well and taking care of them pays rich dividends. iQor’s USP is that it values its employees above all and allows them to grow within the company with its in-house promotion policy. Employees have a chance to grow from the lowest job rung to the management level. Of course it goes without saying that the highest level of performance is called for. In addition, they have created career path programs for employees so they have better opportunities for growth.
What works in iQor’s favor is that they go that extra mile to increase employee efficiency by investing in advanced technology. Workers have to go through a screening process and an aptitude test before being hired. One other thing which worked for iQor was when they decided to cut costs to head-hunters who were bringing in prospective employees. They went on to pay their own workers high referral fees to bring in potential workforce which acted as a very good incentive.
iQor’s success lies in the fact that they work towards making call-center jobs more reputable by bringing in improved facilities and technology.
