TWO overseas companies are to open UK call centres.
Webloyalty, specialists in online marketing services, has hired Kevin Stillwell as head of customer services.
His remit is to establish a call centre in the UK to cover the company's European members, previously serviced its US call centre. Webloyalty said rapid growth in Webloyalty's business had warranted investment in a dedicated operation
Mr Stilwell said: “Membership numbers are increasing so it is the ideal time to open our first UK-based call centre."
He previously spent eight years as head of customer service operations EMEA for the audio-visual company, DMX Music/Mood Media where he set up and contact centres across several sites.
Webloyalty pays its retailer clients for each member who joins its shopper discounts and rewards programme through clients’ sites. It says clients can also benefit from increased site visits as members return to the retailers' sites to use their money-off voucher.
It quotes Verdict Research as saying UK retailers’ web sites had the potential to generate an extra £130m per year (at end-2007) -- growing to an estimated £818m by 2011 with such schemes.
Founded in 1999, Webloyalty says it has 2m-plus US members in its programmes. As well as shopper discounts and rewards, they include an entertainment and travel programme with discounts off attractions and dining. It says that its US clients, with more than 150 sites, benefit from increased revenue and repeat purchases.
DHC, a Japanese skincare company, has opened its first UK call centre, sited in Wimbledon, south-west London.
Founded in 1980, DHC began with products made from virgin olive oil and stresses that it adds no unnecessary colouring agents or irritating fragrances. The company also has bases in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea and the United States.
Kevin Stillwell, new
head of customer
services at Webloyalty