The new call centre Teleperformance aims to be a beacon of transformation in Guyana as it throws open its doors next month.
Dr Dale Dan, the vice-president of operations in Guyana said that her team of 15 persons is currently working overtime to prepare the Camp and Robb streets building for its grand opening which is expected to be in early May. Previously, the company said that it expected to open its doors by April.
Dan told Stabroek News in a recent interview that the company will be offering outsourcing services to 38 clients including several large American companies such as Fortune 500 companies, airlines, Comcast and retail giants such as Walmart.
However, she noted that Teleperformance has encountered challenges with some potential clients as they categorize Guyana as being a part of South America and are unaware that Guyana is an English- speaking country.
Teleperformance has begun recruiting persons to fill 1500 positions. Dan related that the attention the company has received since the application process opened has been overwhelming.
Applications are being reviewed and interviews ongoing and so far, the company has confirmed over 250 applicants, she disclosed.
According to Dan, the process of recruiting persons is a very detailed one. She explained that after applications are submitted, they are reviewed and candidates are engaged in a telephone conversation before they are called in to do the interview. It does not end there as candidates are required to complete a basic quantative test as well as take part in role-playing scenarios to see how one might address possible customer care issues.
In addition, because the company will be servicing mainly the American market, a diction test is also administered to the candidates.
The potential employees are also told about the company and have the opportunity to ask any questions they may have about working for the call centre.
Dan is hopeful of opening other branches of the company in Berbice and Essequibo once the capacity at the Georgetown location is reached. She asserted that Guyana has the potential to house the company’s regional headquarters.
Meantime, Dan said that persons who are going to be a part of the Teleperformance team can look forward to a working environment that promotes educational elevation as part of a “care package.” There will also be closed mentoring/coaching sessions for all employees and Dan said that she strongly believes that you can only give so much to people while pointing to the old adage “instead of giving them fish, teach them how to fish.”
“Education (is) the multiplying medium. With this, our people can develop themselves, thus providing themselves with a state of dignity,” Dan said.
The six-storey building which occupies 50,000 square feet at the corner of Robb and Camp streets has the capacity to hold approximately 2400 persons. The company hopes to have 1500 persons working at the location by August 1st with an additional 900 being added to the team at the end of December this year. (Mariah Lall)
