July 6, 2011 -- Populus Data Solutions (PDS) has acquired an 85-seat call centre from SPA Future Thinking and signed an agreement with the firm naming it preferred supplier of telephone research services.

The call centre is based in Newcastle and was part of the Munro Group of companies acquired by SPA Future Thinking in April this year.

SPA Future Thinking managing director and former Munro chief Richard Hepburn said: "We have retained a commercial interest in the new PDS call centre and will be routing a significant proportion of our CATI requirements through it."

PDS, the data collection arm of the research and polling agency Populus, launched in January with an online field and tab offer but always planned to establish a CATI service by July.

Speaking to Research today, managing director Patrick Diamond said the firm would be looking to secure another call centre – whether bought or built – as soon as possible with a view to doubling its seat numbers to 170.

To support the growth of the business, Diamond has hired a former ICM Direct colleague Tiziana Del Bene as deputy managing director.

Posted by Veronica Silva Cusi, news correspondent
Source: http://www.research-live.com