Commentators may be predicting the demise of the call centre but they created more than 35,000 jobs in the UK last year, according to a new report by Deloitte & Touche. The total number of new call centre projects announced in the UK and the Republic of Ireland increased by 52%, from 58 in 1998 to 88 in 1999. Resulting employment opportunities increased by 23%, from 28,935 jobs in 1998 to 35,462 jobs in 1999.

"1999 has proved to be a record year for the call centre market highlighting the increasing importance of the centres as an effective method for businesses to communicate with their customers," commented Alistair Davies, Director of the Grant and Inward Investment Unit at Deloitte & Touche. "The sector has seen a pattern of growth established, both in terms of projects and employment, which looks set to continue in 2000."

The most popular location was Ireland, with 18% of all projects, closely followed by Scotland with 15% which was the top region for job creation, securing 18% of the total number of new jobs, followed by Yorkshire (16%), the North West (12%) and Northern Ireland (11%).

Telecommunications/IT has overtaken financial services as the number one investment sector accounting for 28% of call centre projects and 34% of jobs (a total of 12,058 jobs in 1999 versus 5,509 in 1998). The mobile phone companies accounted for much of this growth - each of the four major players (Orange, One2One, BT Cellnet and Vodafone) invested in new call centres during 1999, creating over 7 750 jobs. Outsourcing, where a series of major players are providing call centre activities on behalf of third parties, is another major sector, representing 16% of all projects and 19% of all jobs created.

Richard Byatt