Cox to locate a national call center in OKC

[metro]

Cox national call center to locate in OKC
Stefanie Brickman
12/20/2006

Cox Communications will locate a national call center in Oklahoma City, officials announced at a press conference today. The Cox National Wireless Call Center of Excellence extends Cox’s agreement with Sprint-Nextel.
Tim Tippit, Cox vice president of public affairs, said the call center will employ about 200 people by the end of 2007 and have an estimated $35 million annual impact. An existing Cox call center - currently serving local customers -- in northwest Oklahoma City will be renovated into an 80,000-square-foot facility. The initial work is expected to be finished by March 2007 with additional work being completed by the end of the year.

“This is quite a coup for Oklahoma City,” Tippit said. “About 85 percent will be frontline employees.”

According to information provided by Cox, the new call center will serve the company’s wireless customers under a joint venture announced last year, involving Sprint-Nextel, Cox Communications, Time Warner Cable, Comcast and Advance/Newhouse Communications. Serving 87 million customers, the five companies joined together to create a next-generation telecommunications service that integrates features of cable TV, traditional phones, wireless phones and the Internet.

“Cox looked at all markets where they have a presence,” Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett said. “For them to select Oklahoma City is special.”

The Cox National Wireless Call Center of Excellence will serve all Cox wireless customers nationwide. Cox will begin offering its wireless service in several markets in the first half of 2007.

Incoming Lt. Gov. Jari Askins said the announcement could not have come at a better time, considering AOL’s recent decision to close its call center.

“It’s a compliment to the state of Oklahoma,” Askins said. “Oklahomans know how to talk to people. We have a right to be proud.”

The Cox wireless service will debut in Oklahoma in 2007.

[traxx]

Yipee?

[Easy180]

“This is quite a coup for Oklahoma City,” Tippit said. “About 85 percent will be frontline employees.”

Perhaps coup is a little too strong a word

[Intrepid]

Is there a source link for that article?

[floater]

“This is quite a coup for Oklahoma City,” Tippit said. “About 85 percent will be frontline employees.”

Perhaps coup is a little too strong a word

That was my impression too.

[Intrepid]

I know an article was already posted, but I wanted to share the article that appeared in today's Oklahoman and NewsOK.com

NewsOK.com | Powered by The Oklahoman and NEWS 9

Cox gifts metro area with 200 jobs
Call center to expand with Nextel wireless deal

By Jim Stafford
Business Writer

Cox Communications delivered some holiday cheer Thursday to Oklahoma City with the announcement that it will add 200 jobs here as part of a joint venture with wireless telephone provider Sprint Nextel.

In a ceremony at a call center Cox operates in the Camelot Square shopping center, 11949 N Pennsylvania, Cox spokesman Tim Tippit said the Oklahoma City location was selected as the home of what he called the Cox National Wireless Call Center of Excellence.

"It's a timely holiday present for Oklahoma City,” said Tippit, Cox vice president for public affairs in Oklahoma. "The center will employ at least 200 people with an economic impact of about $35 million to central Oklahoma annually.”

Tippit said Oklahoma City was selected for the wireless call center jobs because of the reputation of the Oklahoma work force and the successful operation of its call center here, which is directed by Shelli Osborn.

Cox already employs about 400 at the center handling calls for its cable television, Internet and wireline telephone businesses.

"This call center will receive all calls in the Sprint Nextel agreement we have for all customers nationwide that Cox signs up,” Tippit said. "It's quite a coup for Oklahoma to get this.”

About 85 percent of the new employees will be "front line” employees fielding customer calls, with the remaining 15 percent management and supervisors, Tippit said.

Cox already has added about 44 to the wireless call center, which will expand as Cox adds wireless markets in its service territory, Osborn said. Call center positions will begin at $10 per hour, she said.

Tippet said Cox Oklahoma will begin marketing the Sprint wireless service by mid-2007, giving it a "quadruple play” in which it will bundle wireless and wireline telephone, Internet and cable TV on one monthly statement.

Cox will renovate the "L-shaped” Camelot Square location, expanding east into unused space and eventually taking over space occupied by the Ajanta Cuisine of India restaurant. A manager at the restaurant said it will move into a different location in the same Camelot Square center.

Larry Nichols, chairman of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce for 2007, served as emcee for the announcement. Also attending were Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett, Lt. Gov.-elect Jari Askins and State Rep. Randy McDaniel, R-Oklahoma City.

"We are just absolutely delighted to have this Christmas present to give to Oklahoma City,” said Nichols, who is also chairman and chief executive officer at Devon Energy.

Cornett called the announcement a "great day” for Oklahoma City.

"It is my understanding that in making this decision Cox looked at all the cities that it operates in the United States where they had a presence,” Cornett said.

"As many of you know that's a lot of markets and a lot of really big cities. For them to select Oklahoma City out of all those others is really, really special.”

Askins lauded Cox for its timely announcement just before the Christmas holiday and in the wake of AOL's recent announcement that it will close its Oklahoma City call center at the end of January, putting almost 1,000 out of work.

"The opportunity to announce 200 new jobs in Oklahoma City before the Christmas holiday is a great Christmas present and a great way to head into this weekend and help Oklahoma City and the state of Oklahoma finish up the year,” she said.

"I do think it's a compliment to the state of Oklahoma that Cox has continued to look at ways to bring new jobs to this area and help Oklahoma's economy by increasing their workforce here.”

Cox Communications is one of four cable companies that have entered into the joint venture with Sprint Nextel to market its wireless telephone service in their service territories.

The others involved in the $200 million deal are Time Warner Cable, Comcast and Advance/Newhouse Communications.

The five companies serve approximately 87 million customers nationwide.

Cox officials displayed a map of the Camelot Square renovation that showed the expanded area in which the wireless call center employees will work.

Osborn conducted a brief tour of the Cox call center, where operations specialists, customer care and sales employees all work, handling call 24 hours a day, she said.

[SpectralMourning]

Gifts the metro? ...Are they being serious?

[AFCM]

Anytime new jobs hit the market, it's a good thing...but come on, another call center?

These people made it look like Oklahoma City was lucky to land such a gig. Let's see, OKC probably gave tons in tax incentives and because of the low cost of living, Cox could get away with paying less than they would have to somewhere else. Why wouldn't Cox set up shop in OKC?

Like I said, jobs are always a plus. I just hope this isn't what our leaders have in mind when they talk about bringing in new business.

[Patrick]

At least this will replace the jobs lost at AOL.

[jbrown84]

200 out of 1000-1200?? Not quite.

But it helps.

[Patrick]

200 out of 1000-1200?? Not quite.

But it helps.

I guess it helps to read the article before I post! LOL!

[jbrown84]

haha