Sykes to shut Fla. call center (more then 2,500 layoffs this yr.)

[donsu]

http://www.stpetersburgtimes.com/2004/08/05/Business/Sykes_to_shut_Fla_cal.shtml

Sykes Enterprises has informed Florida officials that it will close its Marianna call center Oct. 2. The disclosure came just weeks after the Tampa company said it would shutter its only other Florida call center, located in Palatka.

The announcement Tuesday brings to nine the number of U.S. call centers that Sykes plans to close in 2004. Only five other U.S. call centers will remain: Bismarck, N.D.; Wise, Va.; Morganfield, Ky.; Ponca City, Okla.; and Sterling, Colo. At one time, Sykes had nearly 20 call centers in the United States.

Sykes said it will lay off 145 of its Marianna employees Saturday and the remaining 121 on Oct. 2. Total layoffs among the nine facilities to be closed this year is expected to exceed 2,500.

An outsourcer, Sykes handles customer service for such clients as Microsoft and SBC Communications via its global network of nearly 40 call centers. Like many of its competitors, the company is shutting down U.S. call centers and opening up new ones in offshore locales like the Philippines and India, where relatively low wages allow Sykes to meet client demands for reduced pricing.
-snip-
---------------------------

watching america crumble

[Mika]

1. But, this is good for the economy

:puke:


FYI, many large US dental labs (which is a manufacturing industry) are now outsourcing their crowns and bridge fabrication to Korea and China - for as little as $9.00 a crown. Then they resell them for about $20 - $50.

HMO dentistry is destroying another high-end manufacturing sector in the US.

A good lab in the USA charges between $125 - $300, which is more than the total payment for a crown from most HMOs.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

2. Typical

My brother-in-law works a call center type job (not sure which company). They sent him over seas to train people in India for a month this summer. They only paid him $12 an hour @ 40 hours a week for it too. These companies are evil. He still has his job for now, but after they get their act together in India he'll probably get laid off.