Campaign to Keep Call Centres in UK

Workers of England Union (WEU) believes that all call centres for companies based in the UK should also be located on UK soil. This ensures effective communication, supports local employment, and keeps consumer spending within the British economy.

Economic Benefits of Local Call Centres

The wages paid to call centre staff in the UK are reinvested into the economy through tax contributions and domestic spending. Retaining these jobs domestically boosts British businesses and communities.

Most call centre operations are funded by customer payments, so it's advantageous if this revenue remains within the UK and supports our workforce.

Quality and Staffing Standards

While accents and regional dialects exist throughout the UK, the WEU highlights that perfect pronunciation and clear diction are challenging worldwide. The key issue is adequate staffing: poor service often results from understaffed centres. Frequent messages such as “We are experiencing a very high number of calls” indicate a lack of sufficient personnel to handle demand.

Company Transparency and Consumer Rights

The WEU campaigns for legislation requiring companies to disclose the location of their call centres to customers. Greater transparency will empower consumers to make informed decisions and encourage businesses to keep jobs local.

Related Articles

4,000 HSBC Staff Face the Axe

HSBC announced plans to transfer 4,000 jobs from the UK to India, Malaysia, and China over two and a half years, with around 1,400 call centre positions affected. This reflects a broader trend of outsourcing administrative and customer service roles to lower-wage countries, despite the bank’s claim that it remains the “world’s local bank.”

Previous relocations included 3,000 jobs, and further cuts are planned across processing sites in Swansea, Sheffield, Birmingham, and Brentwood. Trade unions warned of potential strikes, arguing that such moves prioritize profit over people and undermine corporate social responsibility.

Read more on the impact of outsourcing call centre jobs in the UK economy.

Does Location Matter for Customer Service?

Many companies are reshoring operations. Santander plans to bring up to 500 jobs back to Glasgow, Leicester, and Liverpool, citing improved service. Other firms like BT, Aviva, and Powergen have also repatriated call centre roles.

Although rising wages in India reduce cost advantages, companies often highlight customer satisfaction as the primary motive. Yet, industry analysts suggest the real driver is cost management combined with public relations benefits.

Discover more reasons why UK-based call centres can enhance both service quality and economic growth.