TWO colleagues who were made redundant when a call centre collapsed have launched their own callhandling business, aiming to take on about ten workers this year.
Only four months after being among the 1,000 staff made redundant at Teessidebased Garlands, Rachel Barnes and Sharon Atkinson have set up their own service.
Call Agents UK has secured contracts with a national networking group and a UK-wide financial advisory firm.
The two hope to recruit some of their former Garlands colleagues to their venture, in Teesside University’s business units.
Ms Barnes, who spent six years at Garlands, said: “We had always talked about setting up our own business while working at Garlands, as we had so much experience in the field, and we had the determination and drive to do it.
“We wanted to set up in Middlesbrough and work with local businesses to help get the area moving again.”
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