The Global Association for Contact Center Best Practices & Networking

September 23, 2010 - Terasen Gas is bucking the trend towards outsourcing of jobs by bringing more than 250 of them back to British Columbia, with more than 150 in Burnaby alone.

Terasen, which operates only in B.C., currently runs its contact centre and billing operations out of Eastern Canada and overseas.

But that will change starting in January 2012, when two new call centres will open, one in Burnaby and the other in Prince George, along with the introduction of a new customer information and billing system.

The company believes the in-house approach to customer service will better serve its customers, said Kirsten Walker, Terasen’s corporate communications manager.

Relocating back to B.C. "also reflects our commitment to regionally-based contact centres that make both financial sense and create value for our customers."

The customer contact centres have operated since 2001 out of Ontario and New Brunswick with some "back office functions" handled out of Manila, Philippines.

"Today we find with the changing energy industry and the changing needs of our customers that an in-house model will allow us to best respond to the needs of our customers."

The move comes along with new information technology to replace a system that is more than 10 years old. Together, they will provide customers with more ways to contact Terasen (web, self-serve, along with existing phone and email) and with access to new services, including tools to help analyze energy usage and expanded energy conservation programs, something customers are increasingly requesting, Walker said.

The B.C. Utilities Commission approved Terasen’s application to move to an in-house model in March.

Terasen will set up shop in a brand-new, leased building at Willingdon Park, 4370 Still Creek Drive. It will take up 50,000 square feet of space on two floors in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold building that is expected to use 21 per cent less energy than a non-LEED building.

Walker said Burnaby was chosen largely for its central location, which is within walking distance to both Gilmore and Brentwood SkyTrain stations, and in close proximity to Terasen’s Burnaby operations centre at 3700 2nd Ave.

"More importantly, the facility is LEED gold-certified which is in line with our commitment to energy efficiency and sustainability."

The Burnaby facility will be home to more than 150 jobs to support its contact centre and billing operations, while a new Prince George centre will create more than 100 call centre jobs.

Hiring will begin this fall and continue through 2011.

"This is great news for Burnaby," said Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan in a press release. "We are thrilled to welcome another Terasen Gas facility to our city and look forward to the many benefits their new office will bring to the community, including job opportunities."

Posted by Veronica Silva Cusi, news correspondent
Source: http://www.bclocalnews.com

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