While some call centers are cutting staff and operational costs, others are sitting in a climate that presents opportunities for expansion. In Grant Pass, Oregon, there's one call center called First Call Resolution happy enough to welcome another 50 to 60 people through its doors.
The five-year-old call center currently has 225 people in its payroll and boasts a client portfolio of more than 50 companies. Of those 225 working for the company, 54 are new hires from last month. Site director Maria Hawkins clarified that the new hires can expect a starting offer of $9.50 per hour including medical and dental benefits, and even time off of the working year for a paid vacation.
The recent expansion, according to Hawkins, is due to the economic measures put in place that make this possible. Indeed, Oregon has no sales tax and its income taxes are more than tolerable. The state’s fiscal freedom is above average for the country, allowing companies like First Call Resolution to stay afloat and open its doors wider.
“We've seen a lot of change in the economy especially in Southern Oregon,” Hawkins said. “We haven't had trouble recruiting. There are definitely people ready for work.”
The company has 800 employees across its four Oregon locations in Grants Pass, Coos Bay, Roseburg, and Veneta. They were named a "Top Workplace" the past two years by the Oregonian newspaper.
"It really just comes down to our culture and we're only as successful as our employees make us so we keep them happy," Hawkins told the Chinook Observer.
First Call Resolution is a clear example of how the proper climate, both fiscal and internal, can breed great companies that just pop up like mushrooms after a light rain.
Edited by Rory J. Thompson