Convergys in Chattanooga. File photo.VIDEO
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Convergys Corp., which unveiled plans to hire nearly 500 people in Chattanooga earlier this year, is creating another 400 jobs in the city for its call center, officials said Monday.
The latest jobs announcement by Convergys will put its head count in Chattanooga at upward of 1,700 people. Convergys has a 65,000-square-foot operation at Eastgate Town Center.
The Cincinnati-based company will hire both full-time and part-time workers for an unnamed client in the health care industry, said spokesman Justin McCahill. The jobs will offer starting pay of about $10 per hour, he said in an email.
Wendy Matchett, site leader for the Convergys contact center in Chattanooga, said the company is hiring workers to handle inbound and outbound customer service sales calls. She said Convergys is looking for people with customer service skills, computer literacy and some sales experience.
"Working at Convergys as a customer service sales representative may serve as a great steppingstone to a career in operations, recruitment or training," Matchett said.
Paul Mallchok, Eastgate Town Center's general manager, said Convergys recently extended its multiyear lease at Eastgate, and he'd like for Convergys to increase its footprint in the former shopping mall with the new hires.
"We've got plenty of room for them to park and amenities," he said. The company opened its Chattanooga center in 1998.
J.Ed. Marston, the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce's vice president of marketing, said people in the region have a lot of different work needs and skills.
"Convergys offers job opportunities for a particular skill set," he said. Marston said no financial incentives were offered Convergys for its latest round of hiring.
Matchett said call center jobs are a stepping stone for a career at Convergys in operations, recruitment or training.
She said that more than 70 percent of Convergys customer service managers begin as agents. The company offers on-site employee training as well as benefits such as medical and dental insurance, tuition reimbursement, 401(k) and paid and unpaid time off, according to Convergys.
Convergys is the second company with a Chattanooga presence to add jobs in the past week. Amazon announced just prior to President Barack Obama's visit to its Chattanooga distribution center that it will add "dozens" of full-time jobs in the city and at its Charleston, Tenn., location.
However, an Alstom official said last week the power equipmenet manufacturer is cutting about 40 jobs at its Chattanooga boiler services location.
Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318.