Bank in big drive to recruit more call centre agents

LLOYDS TSB has begun a drive to hire 400 more agents for its call centres in Glasgow and the two in Wales, Bridgend and Newport.
In Glasgow, where it has 1,000-plus call centre staff, the bank is seeking another 150 agents.  And in Wales, where there are nearly 1,500 employees, 144 more are being recruited for Bridgend and 105 for Newport.
Sally Jones-Evans, managing director, telephone banking for Lloyds TSB, said the reasons were changes in overdraft and the season, both of which would increase the number of calls and “we want to be prepared.”
Last year, the bank said it received 70m customer calls, an average of 8,000 calls per hour or 133 calls every minute.  It said that 60 per cent of callers used its automated system, particularly for simple enquiries such as finding out their account balance.
Among the benefits Lloyds TSB offers staff is an extra four per cent of their salary, which they can take as cash or “buy” benefits such as dental and medical healthcare or childcare vouchers.   In addition, they can “buy” more holidays or “sell” them back.
Lloyds TSB also has call centres in Peterlee, Southend, Brighton, Solent, Sunderland and the West Midlands.

Sally Jones-Evans, managing director,
telephone banking for Lloyds TSB

Lloyds TSB’s call centres in Glasgow and Bridgend