Home-based call center plans to employ 1,000 in Oklahoma

[hipsterdoofus]

I agree with the statement of filling a niche, however does OKC or Oklahoma for that matter want to "settle" for low paying low skilled jobs?

Who said we are settling for them? Yes, lets tell them not to come here? Sheesh, way to be negative about getting jobs...Its not the companies fault that there apparently are not as many qualified people to fill the workforce at a higher class of workplace..that seems to be more of an issue that we need to fix, rather than gripe about all the dumb companies bringing their dumb low paying jobs here.

[TheImmortal]

I looked into the jobs this company is offering and they are nothing special or unique. Also, you have to pay them a $45 "processing" fee of sorts to pay for your background and credit check. Sounds a bit weak to me.

[blangtang]

maybe they announced this plan to use as a bargaining chip against some other state, like 'hey, we got this great tax break in, uh, oklahoma. now what u got to offer us...?'

sounds like they are gaming the quality jobs act. are they buying/renting a facility in this state? Or are they just hiring a bunch of internet capable flunkies to get some mad tax breaks?

anyone remember that car company that was gonna open a facility in ardmore for production and an R&D in norman with HQ in OKC?

yeah, what happin w/dat?

[kevinpate]

If there are available folks who have the qualifications for the jobs offered, and willing to work at that level of compensation, what's the issue? If they accept, but are actually qualified for a better job, they keep looking for the better job and in the interim, they work from home instead of not work, or work in a lesser situation.

More folks working for a pay level or an environment they find acceptable is better than fewer folks working.

[progressiveboy]

Who said we are settling for them? Yes, lets tell them not to come here? Sheesh, way to be negative about getting jobs...Its not the companies fault that there apparently are not as many qualified people to fill the workforce at a higher class of workplace..that seems to be more of an issue that we need to fix, rather than gripe about all the dumb companies bringing their dumb low paying jobs here.

Well I guess Oklahoma and OKC has their work cut out for them. I know, being a native OK Cityan and former resident now residing in Dallas I have met more people that moved to the DFW area from the State of Oklahoma and 90 percent of them say there are no good jobs in Oklahoma even if you have a degree. Futhermore, they come to appreciate the diverse jobs offered here plus no State Income tax most all of them say they will never move back to Oklahoma. Even when I have friends visit me from OKC they always comment how "much more" Dallas has to offer. Anyway, back to the subject at hand I still believe that OKC needs to attract major corporate relocations preferably Fortune 500 companies and "not" those marginal, low pay call centers.

[betts]

Bigger cities always have more jobs. How could they not? That's why they're bigger. As far as there being "no good jobs", perhaps it depends on your field. I had no problem finding a good job when I graduated. I have a lot of friends with really good jobs. Everyone I know in Oklahoma City who wants to be is employed, in fact.

"Marginal, low pay call centers" employ people, and it's a different niche from "good jobs" for college graduates. It's not a bad thing for there to be diversity in jobs available, so I'm not looking down my nose at them.

Those people who are in Dallas are welcome to it. Personally, you'd have to pull my fingernails out to make me move there. I think it's one of the uglier cities in the US, with very little improvement over OKC besides more restaurants and better shopping and far worse traffic. It's all a matter of taste and personal opinion, you see.

[progressiveboy]

Bigger cities always have more jobs. How could they not? That's why they're bigger. As far as there being "no good jobs", perhaps it depends on your field. I had no problem finding a good job when I graduated. I have a lot of friends with really good jobs. Everyone I know in Oklahoma City who wants to be is employed, in fact.

"Marginal, low pay call centers" employ people, and it's a different niche from "good jobs" for college graduates. It's not a bad thing for there to be diversity in jobs available, so I'm not looking down my nose at them.

Those people who are in Dallas are welcome to it. Personally, you'd have to pull my fingernails out to make me move there. I think it's one of the uglier cities in the US, with very little improvement over OKC besides more restaurants and better shopping and far worse traffic. It's all a matter of taste and personal opinion, you see.

I agree it is a matter of taste and personal opinion. Maybe if your employed in the oil and gas business in Oklahoma it is lucrative, but then again, after what oil and gas has been doing the last month wrecking havoc not only nationally as well as the State. But my biggest point is would you not want your city and State to have a cushion against oil prices and have a diversified economy? Large corporations relocating to OKC would make the city more prosperous, affluent and big companies establish roots in their communities. As far as ugly, I find OKC to be dirty and unkempt, "run down" is a better term. Dallas is much more modern and striking and has much more to offer than OKC so your statement about "very little improvement" over OKC is a weak argument IMPO.

[jbrown84]

I agree with the statement of filling a niche, however does OKC or Oklahoma for that matter want to "settle" for low paying low skilled jobs? I am interpreting that you have resigned and settled for the status quo?

You are interpreting that completely wrong. Are you saying that we should not be bringing in jobs for people with this skill set? They should just have to move away, because we only want white collar executive jobs?

But my biggest point is would you not want your city and State to have a cushion against oil prices and have a diversified economy? Large corporations relocating to OKC would make the city more prosperous, affluent and big companies establish roots in their communities.

I don't know WHERE you are getting that we are settling for call center jobs or energy jobs only. We've explained this to you before and you can't seem to get it. Everyone here is working towards a diverse economy. There is a huge research park full of biotech companies right next to downtown that wasn't there 15 years ago. Any one of those companies could hit it big with a particular drug and we'd have a huge biotech company rooted here. I don't know how recognizing that these jobs fit the needs of certain people here means that this is the only kind of jobs we are trying to lure.

As far as ugly, I find OKC to be dirty and unkempt, "run down" is a better term. Dallas is much more modern and striking and has much more to offer than OKC so your statement about "very little improvement" over OKC is a weak argument IMPO.

You've apparently been bit by the Texas bug. Bigger is not always better, especially when it comes to egos.

[progressiveboy]

You are interpreting that completely wrong. Are you saying that we should not be bringing in jobs for people with this skill set? They should just have to move away, because we only want white collar executive jobs?



I don't know WHERE you are getting that we are settling for call center jobs or energy jobs only. We've explained this to you before and you can't seem to get it. Everyone here is working towards a diverse economy. There is a huge research park full of biotech companies right next to downtown that wasn't there 15 years ago. Any one of those companies could hit it big with a particular drug and we'd have a huge biotech company rooted here. I don't know how recognizing that these jobs fit the needs of certain people here means that this is the only kind of jobs we are trying to lure.



You've apparently been bit by the Texas bug. Bigger is not always better, especially when it comes to egos.

Sorry you feel this way,but then again, Oklahoma has always had to play second fiddle to Texas. Sounds to me like someones been bitten with the jealous, envy bug. The major point I am making is why settle for "just less" lowing paying jobs. Yes, every city has these types of jobs but you all keep talking about being a "major league" city but many have a "minor league" mentality. Just became you have the NBA and Devon building a new downtown skyscraper does not automatically make OKC a cosmopolitan, major league city. It will take deep white collar jobs with deep pockets and high wages to have more prosperity.

[wsucougz]

Well I guess Oklahoma and OKC has their work cut out for them. I know, being a native OK Cityan and former resident now residing in Dallas I have met more people that moved to the DFW area from the State of Oklahoma and 90 percent of them say there are no good jobs in Oklahoma even if you have a degree. Futhermore, they come to appreciate the diverse jobs offered here plus no State Income tax most all of them say they will never move back to Oklahoma. Even when I have friends visit me from OKC they always comment how "much more" Dallas has to offer. Anyway, back to the subject at hand I still believe that OKC needs to attract major corporate relocations preferably Fortune 500 companies and "not" those marginal, low pay call centers.

Plenty of jobs in OKC. In fact, my friends who recruit IT workers tell me OKC has been booming for the past 3+ years and it's still hitting on all cylinders. Way better than Tulsa, they tell me. As others have stated, everyone I know in OKC seems to have a decent job. Many people who moved to DFW as short as just a few years ago are no longer in tune what's going on in OKC.

So... we know you're not an English teacher. What kind of job were you unable to find in OKC, or are you yet a "boy," as your handle would have us believe?

[jbrown84]

The major point I am making is why settle for "just less" lowing paying jobs. Yes, every city has these types of jobs but you all keep talking about being a "major league" city but many have a "minor league" mentality.

Where are you getting this about "settling"??

I'll ask you again: Are you saying we should literally turn these jobs down--just say, "no thanks"?

If not, then I don't understand your problem. This idea that our Chamber of Commerce, state, and city leaders are only recruiting call center jobs is not at all true, and I don't know where you are getting that.

[betts]

As I said, I'm not jealous or envious of Dallas, except that I'd like a little better shopping here. I'm not in oil and gas, either. I don't happen to like Dallas. If I were going to move to a bigger city, I'd move to Chicago or Minneapolis, Portland or Seattle. Maybe even Denver. Those are big cities with, to me, much more to offer in the way of leisure time activities, green space, attractive neighborhoods and certainly the job market is as good, if not better than Dallas in those cities. Remember, it's hard to be at the pinnacle. If you're not, there's always someone ahead of you. Dallas has a lot of cities ahead of it, and I don't really consider it the city I'd like OKC to emulate. All a matter of taste, again.

[progressiveboy]

Plenty of jobs in OKC. In fact, my friends who recruit IT workers tell me OKC has been booming for the past 3+ years and it's still hitting on all cylinders. Way better than Tulsa, they tell me. As others have stated, everyone I know in OKC seems to have a decent job. Many people who moved to DFW as short as just a few years ago are no longer in tune what's going on in OKC.

So... we know you're not an English teacher. What kind of job were you unable to find in OKC, or are you yet a "boy," as your handle would have us believe?

As I am sure you are not. I love your wit and sarcasm. Is that what you majored in college lol. My current job is in the insurance for a major 500 Fortune Company since your inquiring mind must know. I really find it hard to believe that IT is booming in OKC? Sounds like delusional visions of grandeur! lol

[progressiveboy]

Where are you getting this about "settling"??

I'll ask you again: Are you saying we should literally turn these jobs down--just say, "no thanks"?

If not, then I don't understand your problem. This idea that our Chamber of Commerce, state, and city leaders are only recruiting call center jobs is not at all true, and I don't know where you are getting that.

The problem lies in these types of jobs tend to be "fly by night". Not all of them are, but the majority are that offer "low wages", marginal benefits and hardly no chances for advancement. I am not saying that we should turn these jobs down, what I am saying why not "raise the bar" for OKC and recruit employers with high paying jobs. These types of jobs tend to for the most part offer more stability, more disposable incomes and people with college degrees. As far as you don't understand my problem, then perhaps it is way over your head.

[Kerry]

The 1,000 at-home call center jobs isn't the problem. The problem is the big deal State officals make out of it. This should have been a one paragaph story at best - in the Lawton paper. It should have been a non-starter story at the Oklahoman unless they wanted to put it in the Life Style section. Heck, they could have wrapped the info in a story about stay-at-home moms and the in-home employment options available to them. Instead, the Oklahoman printed a free "help wanted" ad disguised as a news story.

[jbrown84]

why not "raise the bar" for OKC and recruit employers with high paying jobs.

WE ARE. How many times do I have to say it?

[progressiveboy]

WE ARE. How many times do I have to say it?

Again you are not understanding what I am trying to say. You mentioned in an earlier thread that the Mayor, Chamber of Commerce etc.. are trying to push biotech etc... You mentioned the iconic downtown park, mass transit etc.. the point of this thread is "jobs" the type we seem to attract -vs- want to create. Maybe I am being a bit cynical, however the only point I am making is Oklahoma and OKC can do much better than a "home based call center". Why not strive for or attempt to gain 2-3 major headquarters.

[jbrown84]

No one ever said we aren't striving for just that. Not only are leaders actively recruiting any new jobs and businesses that we can, but we are doing things to make this a better city to live in. We are not delusional to think that we can just throw money at Fortune 500 companies and they will move here. We have to have better parks, better roads, better schools, walkable communities, and mass transit.

[wsucougz]

As I am sure you are not. I love your wit and sarcasm. Is that what you majored in college lol. My current job is in the insurance for a major 500 Fortune Company since your inquiring mind must know. I really find it hard to believe that IT is booming in OKC? Sounds like delusional visions of grandeur! lol

First off - good one lol rofl loi!!! You seem to be really hung up on this "fortune 500" thing. It's not the end all be all. The company I work for is in the top 150 in the world, and I work in Oklahoma City of all places. Remember, the guy who takes your order at the McDonald's drive-through works for a "Major 500 Fortune Company."

OKC is moving forward on all fronts: Incentivizing local start-ups, incentivizing companies to move jobs here, and making the city a more attractive urban environment. It's a slow process but we've turned the corner. The loss of the local brain trust is slowing and companies that are already here are finding that more highly-skilled workers are available than before, and at more affordable salaries than big, coastal cities. The idea that fortune 500 companies are just going to pack up and move their central operations to Oklahoma City, or any other city, for that matter, is pretty much pie-in-the-sky.

Dallas is great, but it's not our model. We can do far better and have the luxury of a nearly blank slate. Stay in Dallas and be another number or come back to OKC and be a part of something. Your choice, Skippy.

Fortune 500.

[HOT ROD]

I agree with what has been said here, these type of jobs fill a niche that OKC has. All cities need to have a variety of types of jobs, not just top executive jobs. Even the Chicagos, New Yorks, and LA's of the world/nation have a spectrum of employment opps.

That said, I do think OKC needs to promote itself and build it's high paying jobs too. As many of you know, there is still a certain amount of brain drain from OKC to (mostly) Dallas or Houston. This is due, because OKC has a relative shortage in jobs that require college and advanced degrees.

So, while OKC may not immediately be able to land many fortune 500 companies through relocation - one very quick solution would be to go to companies and get them to open up an office (or backoffice) in OKC. This would not be a call center and would require a different niche of workers. This theory has worked well in Atlanta and Tampa (New York's longtime backoffice) and Des Moines (Chicago's), so why wouldn't it work here?

I would say that we should pursue companies located in Dallas or Houston but they are very unlikely to share anything with Oklahoma City - considering many of their companies (and residents) came from OKC to begin with. But what about the city attending meetings, conventions, and events in Chicago, New York, DC, LA, SF, Denver, Toronto/Vancouver, and other headquarter's cities?

In today's digital age, it is a VERY GOOD IDEA to have a backoffice and not just have everything in your hq city. No disrespect and God forbid that it happened - but New York city was 'saved' so to say from a total catastrophe from 911 because of the backoffices located thousands of miles away. (I hate bringing that up, but it IS TRUE).

So why doesn't OKC start with that? It would bring at least a few office and technical jobs and an office for starters. Like was said, I believe the city could build from there and eventually have a significant workforce over time - and maybe a few might totally relocate if they really like it.

For backoffice operations, the company doesn't matter - if they have a network and use technology, then they need to back up their data and it is a good idea to have this far far away. I know OKC is getting into the server farming (which is a good idea) but we need to go one step further and get actual offices. This would also increase flights at WRWA as people would need to do some travel, a win-win.

One good way that the city coculd make this happen, besides getting off their keister and going to talk to cities/companies, is to set up a business incubator in downtown. At the incubator, the city could sell office space at reduced rates for given time durations then increase if the company stays. This would give companies the opportunity to 'try-out' Oklahoma City, similar to the NBA when the Hornets came. Eventually, the incubator is full (and so would downtown be) and you'd build another one (or another skyscraper to put the new businesses/companies).

It;s sort of the build-it-and-they-will-come scenario, but it gives significant incentive beyond the quality jobs rebate. It's something tangible, that companies could see on their bottom line and try out OKC and it's workforce. If it sticks, good for OKC! If not, the next company moves in (from OKC's recruiting efforts); and so on.

Maybe both of these ideas could merge, where OKC builds a backoffice incubator in a downtown skyscraper; and set's up suites of offices and data rooms; and leases them out to companies at lower than market rate which graduates over a set schedule.

Is this something that oculd be accomplished? It's sort of a world trade center approach, given em somewhere to work while they set up shop in your city. ...

[wsucougz]

I agree with what has been said here, these type of jobs fill a niche that OKC has. All cities need to have a variety of types of jobs, not just top executive jobs. Even the Chicagos, New Yorks, and LA's of the world/nation have a spectrum of employment opps.

That said, I do think OKC needs to promote itself and build it's high paying jobs too. As many of you know, there is still a certain amount of brain drain from OKC to (mostly) Dallas or Houston. This is due, because OKC has a relative shortage in jobs that require college and advanced degrees.

So, while OKC may not immediately be able to land many fortune 500 companies through relocation - one very quick solution would be to go to companies and get them to open up an office (or backoffice) in OKC. This would not be a call center and would require a different niche of workers. This theory has worked well in Atlanta and Tampa (New York's longtime backoffice) and Des Moines (Chicago's), so why wouldn't it work here?

I would say that we should pursue companies located in Dallas or Houston but they are very unlikely to share anything with Oklahoma City - considering many of their companies (and residents) came from OKC to begin with. But what about the city attending meetings, conventions, and events in Chicago, New York, DC, LA, SF, Denver, Toronto/Vancouver, and other headquarter's cities?

In today's digital age, it is a VERY GOOD IDEA to have a backoffice and not just have everything in your hq city. No disrespect and God forbid that it happened - but New York city was 'saved' so to say from a total catastrophe from 911 because of the backoffices located thousands of miles away. (I hate bringing that up, but it IS TRUE).

So why doesn't OKC start with that? It would bring at least a few office and technical jobs and an office for starters. Like was said, I believe the city could build from there and eventually have a significant workforce over time - and maybe a few might totally relocate if they really like it.

For backoffice operations, the company doesn't matter - if they have a network and use technology, then they need to back up their data and it is a good idea to have this far far away. I know OKC is getting into the server farming (which is a good idea) but we need to go one step further and get actual offices. This would also increase flights at WRWA as people would need to do some travel, a win-win.

One good way that the city coculd make this happen, besides getting off their keister and going to talk to cities/companies, is to set up a business incubator in downtown. At the incubator, the city could sell office space at reduced rates for given time durations then increase if the company stays. This would give companies the opportunity to 'try-out' Oklahoma City, similar to the NBA when the Hornets came. Eventually, the incubator is full (and so would downtown be) and you'd build another one (or another skyscraper to put the new businesses/companies).

It;s sort of the build-it-and-they-will-come scenario, but it gives significant incentive beyond the quality jobs rebate. It's something tangible, that companies could see on their bottom line and try out OKC and it's workforce. If it sticks, good for OKC! If not, the next company moves in (from OKC's recruiting efforts); and so on.

Maybe both of these ideas could merge, where OKC builds a backoffice incubator in a downtown skyscraper; and set's up suites of offices and data rooms; and leases them out to companies at lower than market rate which graduates over a set schedule.

Is this something that oculd be accomplished? It's sort of a world trade center approach, given em somewhere to work while they set up shop in your city. ...

Good ideas. I would hope that at least some of this is already happening.

[CuatrodeMayo]

As I said, I'm not jealous or envious of Dallas, except that I'd like a little better shopping here. I'm not in oil and gas, either. I don't happen to like Dallas. If I were going to move to a bigger city, I'd move to Chicago or Minneapolis, Portland or Seattle. Maybe even Denver. Those are big cities with, to me, much more to offer in the way of leisure time activities, green space, attractive neighborhoods and certainly the job market is as good, if not better than Dallas in those cities. Remember, it's hard to be at the pinnacle. If you're not, there's always someone ahead of you. Dallas has a lot of cities ahead of it, and I don't really consider it the city I'd like OKC to emulate. All a matter of taste, again.

No joke...If I am going to move to a big city, Dallas is waaaay down the list.

I was in Dallas just this weekend and was remided how glad I am that I don't live there. The only thing I like about Dallas is IKEA (and that's in Frisco).

[jbrown84]

Dallas is the 2nd to last place I'd ever relocate (after Houston).

[shane453]

How often does an established Fortune 500 company get up and move to a new state? Not very often. It's more important to grow our own companies.

That being said, Larry Nichols has made comments indicating he has talked to some coastal friends of his that have taken an interest in OKC. So maybe they are out there, somewhere.

As for the call centers, whenever we get one, they usually say there is a large pool of qualified workers. Qualified in the sense of a call center probably means Diploma/GED and maybe 1-2 years of college- Not a Masters or PhD. They will continue to come here where that is the type of job the workforce is qualified for but not over/underqualified for.

Say a huge company wanted to open a new branch of their accounting team or other white collar high-paying situation with 500 jobs- How easy would it be for them to fill those jobs in OKC?

When we get those types of jobs, it will be because a company moves the employees here, or because over the next decade we experience a major influx of educated expats deciding Oklahoma is a good place to live after all and because graduating students decide in greater numbers to stay put. I think the beginnings of those movements are in place.

[jbrown84]

I think the "educated expats" will return when the jobs are here, not vice versa. This means that we need to rely on the growth of the companies we have, and if we get a headquarters move, so be it. In the case of the latter, some employees will relocate, while other jobs will open up, and expats will likely be the most interested parties other than those already here.