AAA Brings Jobs to OKC

[Karried]

Woot, more good news for OKC!


By Jim Stafford
The AAA Member Services Co. plans to build a 200,000 square-foot customer service center and bring 1,200 jobs to Oklahoma City, a spokesman for the automobile service company said today.


“This site selection is not only good news for Oklahoma City,” said Neal Krueger, President and CEO of AAA Oklahoma, “it’s good news for the members of participating AAA clubs who stand to benefit from Oklahoma’s motivated work force, friendly business environment and low cost of operation.”
Krueger said AAA has signed a contract with Koll Development Co. of Dallas so the contractor can purchase land in the Quail Springs Office Park just north of the Kilpatrick Turnpike and west of May Ave.
Construction will begin next month with completion slated for late 2009.
Oklahoma City contact center employees will provide membership, travel, insurance and emergency road services to AAA members in many states, including northern California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, South Dakota, Oklahoma and possibly others.

[Midtowner]

Another call center.

I...can...hardly...contain...my...enthusiasm...

[Kerry]

Not a call center. It is a contact center for member services. It isn't like they will be doing outside sales or anything.

[OU Adonis]

Its not ideal, but its jobs.

[Karried]

I know, I know..... a Call Center but hey, 1,200 people are probably excited to have jobs. And the people building the 200,000 sq ft building are probably excited too....

We have to appreciate anything positive in this economy.

[Blazerfan11]

We need to get more ou sweatshirts and pants to outfit the call center fatties. This is good for business, I have so many ideas already!

[Pete]

How can this be bad? Lots more money injected into the economy and tons more jobs.

OKC is one of the very few places where people can work in call centers and still have a good standard of life; own a home, etc. It might not be what I want to do for a living but I also don't want to work for the state, Tinker, etc.

Besides, there are lots of managerial level jobs that are part of these places. Not everyone is answering phones.

[venture]

I hate to tell people but OKC's location, the type of worker, and the economy of the state is going to continue to draw more call/contact centers.

And yes...a contact center is a call center. It looks like it'll be all inbound calls, but there is always some measure of outbound traffic to be done at any center.

My only gripe, the location. Would rather see them develop the site around Dell more, or try to find a more centralized location.

[Blazerfan11]

We need to stop promoting the radically anti-intellectual culture that exists here if we want to be a real big league city. First off, we have the most little league media establishment in the country here (amongst big cities), our schools suck, there's little to do with those of us who have triple digit IQs, etc....

Sure, this is good for people who like to listen to The Sports Animal and pop gum at the mall or chill with their "homies" at Buffalo Wild Wings, but good grief LOL!

[Blazerfan11]

..also, with Dobson being purchased, is that site going to continue or maybe these guys could just move in there?

[MikeLucky]

We need to stop promoting the radically anti-intellectual culture that exists here if we want to be a real big league city. First off, we have the most little league media establishment in the country here (amongst big cities), our schools suck, there's little to do with those of us who have triple digit IQs, etc....

Sure, this is good for people who like to listen to The Sports Animal and pop gum at the mall or chill with their "homies" at Buffalo Wild Wings, but good grief LOL!

Wow, YOUR Oklahoma City must really suck.....

[Rover]

Blazer. I appreciate that you think you are better than others, so I encourage you to start the kind of "intellectual" and creative business and hire those of your superior ilk. In the meantime, 1200 persons will find honest, meaningful jobs to benefit themselves and their families. The pay will enable them to spend money and expand our economy. This is just part of a complete economy...one that is healthy in Oklahoma.

I am all for great jobs at whatever level. We can't be elitists and mean spirited. This is a welcoming and kind spirited city. Don't let your "triple digit IQ" let you think you are better than any other hard working Joe.

[andy157]

We need to stop promoting the radically anti-intellectual culture that exists here if we want to be a real big league city. First off, we have the most little league media establishment in the country here (amongst big cities), our schools suck, there's little to do with those of us who have triple digit IQs, etc....

Sure, this is good for people who like to listen to The Sports Animal and pop gum at the mall or chill with their "homies" at Buffalo Wild Wings, but good grief LOL!

Your right. You need to stop that. Right now. Just stop it.

[sgt. pepper]

Don't let your "triple digit IQ" let you think you are better than any other hard working Joe.

He He
I 'm with most folks, the more jobs, the better. Now if AAA will move thier headquarters here?

[andy157]

000...001...002...003. Am I getting close?

[wsucougz]

This is good no matter how you look at it. I work in an office that started out as predominantly a call center. In our case, as the company has seen the economic benefits of doing business in the Midwest come to fruition, it has become increasingly more entrenched here. Since 2000, we have grown from just a handful to over 1,400 employees at the okc location and the building is bursting at the seams. There are probably 500 workers who make $50k + a year, including many of the best IT jobs you can get in the city.

It's like planting a seed. Bring it.

[Blazerfan11]

if ( yourehappy && youKnowIt ) { clapyourhands(); }

[bwana_bob]

Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY - Company X, universally considered the leader in cutting edge design of non-effis clad buildings by everyone except members of the Gaylord family (and their better paid employees), announced plan today to build a 51 1/2 story iconic headquarters near downtown Oklahoma City in the emergent C2S platte. When asked about the height of the building, a company spokesperson indicated that their intent was to be at least 1/2 story taller than the previously announced Devon Energy building. “We saw some early indications that they (Devon) might only build a 4.8 story building however we’re not taking any chances. We believe we will be cooler anyway but, we intend to keep our advantage even if we have to permanently assign an employee to stand on top of the building 24/7 to get the extra six feet.” Bill Simpelton, vice-president for global operations and microwave ovens said that 500 new jobs will be created averaging over $500,000 per position annually. Simpelton said that Company X is primarily looking for people with a demonstrated ability to whine publicly on message boards but who lack the power, prestige, drive or wealth to effect true change. "Additionally," he continued, "they would be required to opine the virtues of downtown living while maintaining their primary residence in the suburbs living over their parents’ garages.” “We want the sort of people who would work at Chesapeake, if they could,” said Simpleton, “but who recognize that companies need to eschew the notion of guarding strategic information in favor of total transparency and ultimately, subservience to message board polling information." Separately, Simpleton announced that Randy Hogan and Jim Brewer would be hired to acquire the land, manage the building project and attract national tenants to retail spaces available on the first two floors of the new skyscraper. Brewer was quoted as saying that his top priority was acquiring 20-30 acres to be used as surface parking for Company X employees and placing large “Coming Soon” signs in land as it is acquired. Hogan stated that he was still unsure as to where C2S was located within Lower Bricktown but would be getting with a representative from Rand McNally soon to go over the "location detail" in greater depth.

[Blazerfan11]

will company x use top down photographed marketing clip-art people in promoting their fine product, bwana_bob, or a more straightforward marketing photo clip art perspective?

[bwana_bob]

Cutting edge only Blazer - Company X will feature aerial shots of polar bears in their marketing (the cute ones that are stuffed, not the real ones that would tear you limb from limb to protect their cubs). We believe that clip art people were created by Microsoft in their ill-fated attempts to get "Clippy" recognized as the mascot for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

Image:Clippy-letter.PNG - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Kerry]

...and that is when this thread lost all meaning.

[soonerguru]

Pete,

These "contact" centers are terrible to work for. I have a family member who has worked at: Hertz, Farmer's, AOL, Convergys and many others. All of these jobs are dead-end meatgrinders. Most of her coworkers can barely eke out a living. They are all run the same: the only people who can make a living are supervisors, and they are trained hatchet people. These hardly qualify as "jobs," they are more like "McJobs."

[bwana_bob]

...and that is when this thread lost all meaning.

Kerry, I think you give me too much credit. Blazerfan pretty well took this ship down several posts ago. The unflagging lack of enthusiasm for 1,200 new jobs - jobs that many of us might now want to take but - that will create 1,200 more wage earners spending money with your business or mine, sharing life on the tax rolls and otherwise contributing to the local economy, is mystifying (hence my Company X post). To guru's point, these are not designed for the top wage earner in most households but if this is all you can qualify for, it's time to get more qualifications.

[Dave Cook]

OKC is one of the very few places where people can work in call centers and still have a good standard of life; own a home, etc. It might not be what I want to do for a living but I also don't want to work for the state, Tinker, etc..

Are you suggesting you would rather sweat it out at a call center gig with Mondays and Tuesdays off...sans benefits....over a cushy gig at the state?

I´m not saying all state jobs are a breeze.....but I sometimes wonder how many accumulated sick days/earned days off a person can take.

[Pete]

Are you suggesting you would rather sweat it out at a call center gig with Mondays and Tuesdays off...sans benefits....over a cushy gig at the state?

No, I'm suggesting I'm not interested in any of those jobs but that doesn't mean lots of other people aren't.


And guru, my two older sisters (neither went to college) have worked for Hertz for 20+ years and are paid well, have good benefits and lots of other perks. Both own nice homes in good public school districts and have put their kids through college.