Tuesday, November 12, 2002
Call centers are emerging as a cluster in Colorado Springs. Read more. Go
As I indicated in an earlier note, these centers are now subject to more intense international competition. To operate a work-station in the United States costs about $26 to $30 an hour, including salary and benefits, rent, administration and other expenses. Operating costs run maybe $12 an hour for the same workstation in India.
The best long term strategy for US call centers is to move up the value ladder into more sophisticated customer service operations. Labor costs and technology (voice recognition) will eat away at US call center businesses that base their business models on lower skills. Successful US-based call centers will evolve from high-school graduates doing basic work to college graduates and people with advanced degrees handling specialized work.
posted by Ed Morrison |
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Some Background on EDPro Weblog
The purpose of this weblog is to help economic development professionals -- EDPros -- keep up with the changes sweeping our profession. Strap on your goggles. It's a whole new game. There are no experts any more. The only place to learn about economic development is from other EDPros who are doing it.
One other point: the prevaling approach (paradigm, if you like) in economic development is shifting from competition to collaboration. There are a lot of reaasons underlying this shift, but here's the important insight: You, your community, and your region will do better by collaborating and sharing information.
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Speaking and workshops on Open Source Economic Development
As the idea of Open Source Economic Development starts spreading, more people are asking about it. Visit the I-Open web site to learn more. My colleagues and I are happy to explain the basic concepts in a talk or a workshop. E-mail Susan Alshuler if you'd like to learn more about workshops and speaking.
Background on Ed Morrison
Download some background information on me here.
Call Centers in Colorado
