Dingwall is to set become home to an emergency response team which will provide round the clock help to people over 500 miles away.
And the impending call centre boost could create up to 50 new jobs as a recruitment drive is launched to meet demand.
Internationally known outsourcing firm Vertex, which has bases in both Dingwall and Forres, is expanding its Ross-shire based contract with Westminster City Council to provide 24-hour services for social services and its environmental action line.
The company, which is being supported by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) as it continues to grow its business, is holding open evenings at its Dingwall Business Park office between 4 and 8pm on September 5 and 6. It hopes to recruit around 50 people over the next two months to provide day, evening and over-night provision.
Vertex Customer Service Manager, Kathleen Lohse, commented, "At Vertex we are experienced in providing a whole range of services to people in the London area . We deliver over 40 key council services – including things like parking administration, planning enquiries, licensing requests and managing special events.
"We already handle day calls to the environmental action line which handles recycling, street cleansing, refuse collection, noise complaints, abandoned waste, abandoned vehicles and many more types of enquiries and requests. We are expanding our operations here in Dingwall to cover through the night calls too.
"The social services activity will be handling a variety of calls involving children and adult social services, emergency repairs, homelessness and emergency lifeline calls. The new post holders will be required to co-ordinate the response by liaising with the appropriate person or organisation such as social workers, housing officers, emergency planning officers, police, fire service and the London Ambulance Service.
"Quick decision making and scenario evaluation is a requirement of the role.This will be challenging and worthwhile work.
"This expansion has been possible because, with HIE’s help, we have been working hard to look at innovative ways to exceed the expectations of the clients we work with. Our growth means we can offer a range of jobs in Vertex and in this case we would particularly like to hear from people who have worked in the care field, or have experience of handling emergency situations."
Joyce MacLennan of HIE said, "The Highlands and Islands has a growing reputation nationally for delivering high standards of service across the business services sector. As well as our workforce’s skills in customer services, employers and clients are increasingly tapping in to more specialist areas – everything from IT support, to engineering, security, and in this case care sector skills."
"This is great news for the business and for the employees who are finding flexible, well paid work in their chosen field of expertise. Distance is definitely not a boundary to providing fast, reliable business services."
Ross-Shire Journal
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