Market researcher Datamonitor has taken a close look at the call centre industry, following dire predictions in some quarters that the internet could spell the end for this job-spinning sector.

Datamonitor projects that by 2003, over 1.3M people will be working in call centres across Europe - representing a compound annual growth rate of 12%.

Internet applications are likely to slow the pace of growth down, the researchers say, but there is no final end in sight.

In fact, centres generally are adopting newer technologies to form multi-media operations covering fax, e-mail and video, as well as telephone services. Growing corporate interest in "customer relationship management" programmes is also bringing a new spur to call centre activity.

The UK is expected to remain the leader, in terms of overall job numbers, with Germany running a strong second.

Elliott Chase