Vodafone reaches Tassie contact centre jobs milestone
Local construction jobs to follow award of building contract
More than 450 Tasmanian jobs have been created since Vodafone announced in march last year it would double the size of its Australian-based customer service operations.
Vodafone’s expansion in Tasmania will see the construction of a state-of-the-art contact centre in Hobart’s CBD.
Vodafone says its construction and fit-out partners, Sultan Holdings and Hansen Yuncken, both based in Hobart, would employ an additional 240 people during the build phase of the project, due for completion December 2014.
Vodafone’s General Manager of Customer Care Matt Paterson said “We’re excited to have arrived at the next stage of our expansion project that will bring this world-class customer care facility to the centre of Hobart.
“This is an enormous boost to the customer service we offer Vodafone customers as well as a welcome boost for the local economy.
“By the time the new centre is fully operational and at maximum capacity in July 2015, Vodafone will have a combined workforce of more than 1,300 across its two Tasmanian customer service centres.
“Our Hobart customer service centre will support our Australian-based customer care team, who offer local customer service for Vodafone Red customers. Our award-winning social media team, sales and business support teams will continue operating out of our Kingston facility,” Mr Paterson said.
Mr Paterson said Vodafone was bucking the trend by bringing jobs back to Australia.
“Vodafone’s Australian-based customer service sets us apart from our competitors. We’re putting the customer service ahead of profits because it’s what our customers want.
“Not only do customers tell us they value being able to speak to an Australian about their service, they want to know they are helping to create sustainable jobs in Australia. That’s important to us too,” Mr Paterson said.
Vodafone also announced a new partnership with construction firm Hansen Yuncken’s Tasmanian operations that will oversee the fit out of the new customer care centre.
Hansen Yuncken, a national commercial building company with local offices in Patrick St, Hobart, has secured the contract for the building fit-out. Work is expected to begin over the next few months with Vodafone staff to start moving in by late-December.
Tasmanian tradespeople are expected to be the big winners during the construction phase, with most of the work expected to be sourced locally.
“There could be up to 200 construction workers on site at the peak of building activity and up to a further 40 during the extensive fit-out phase.
“Vodafone is grateful for the support of the Tasmanian and Federal governments, which have both made significant efforts to assist us with the expansion of our Tasmanian operations,” Mr Paterson said.
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Notes to editors:
- Vodafone has operated a local call centre in Kingston, Tasmania, for more than 14 years.
- In March 2013 Vodafone announced its intention to double the size of its Australian-based contact centre workforce in Tasmania. Vodafone decided to build and occupy a brand new, state-of-the art facility in Hobart’s CBD, while retaining the existing Kingston site.
- Vodafone has occupied a temporary site in Hobart’s CBD since November 2013, which has allowed it to hire and train new employees while awaiting the new facility.
- Vodafone will occupy the Hobart site from December 2014. The jobs expansion project will be completed by 1 July 2015. At that point, Vodafone will have more than 1300 staff across both of its Tasmanian call centres, making it one of the largest private employers in Tasmania.