Garlands set to shed staff

Jul 25 2008 by Paul Gannon, Evening Gazette

UP to 60 jobs are set to go at one of Teesside’s major employers, Garlands Call Centres.

The Hartlepool-based firm is in talks with staff over proposals to make voluntary and non-voluntary redundancies within its management and support teams.

The majority of the redundancies are likely to occur on Teesside.

The company said no customer-facing staff would be affected by the proposals, which have been brought about by a “significant investment in technology”.

Chief executive Chey Garland, pictured, said: “Our investment in technology, including new HR and payroll systems, has enabled us to do things differently and increase efficiencies within the business.

“The company is now able to restructure management and support areas to operate in a more streamlined and efficient way, eliminating workload duplication and therefore maintaining our competitiveness.”

She said the firm would continue to invest in technology and had no plans for further redundancies. “We are planning for growth,” she said.

“We are continuing to expand our client base and extend our range of services at each of our four sites, including our recently opened South Tyneside Call Centre.”

The business employs around 3,000 at call centres in Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Stockton and South Shields.

Founded by Ms Garland in 1987, the business started out as a one-woman debt collection agency operating from a tiny attic room in Middlesbrough.

It has expanded to become one of Teesside’s biggest success stories and provides call centre services for some of industry’s biggest names.

The company was voted the winner of this year’s Tees Valley Business Awards - the second time the firm has triumphed, having taken the top Tees Valley crown in 2004.

While other call centre companies have off-shored their operations, Garlands remains fiercely proud of its roots and the majority of its expansion has been carried out on Teesside.