Alorica, Stream will add jobs in metro Sioux City
Alorica will employ 1,150;
Stream adds to Sirius support
By Dave Dreeszen Journal business editor | Posted: Thursday, November 15, 2007
Two teleservices centers in metro Sioux City are putting out the call for hundreds of more workers.
At a mid-morning announcement Wednesday, Alorica Inc. confirmed plans to hire 300 more workers at its customer-service and tech-support center in North Sioux City, bringing total employment to more than 1,150.
Four hours later, Stream announced its Sergeant Bluff center will be the primary customer support center for Sirius satellite radios factory-installed in new automobiles. The local center, which now employs about 600, has aggressive plans for the holiday season. Stream plans to add 100 to 200 new jobs by January, according to Stream CEO Toni Portmann, who attended the news conference along with several Sirius representatives.
Chino, Calif.-based Alorica made its announcement while celebrating its one-year anniversary in North Sioux City, where it leases the first floor of the former Argentina building on the Gateway Inc. campus. From a small start-up, the Alorica center has rapidly grown into a 850-employee operation that provides tech support and customer service to its two clients, Gateway and AT&T Wireless.
"If you think year one was pretty good, year two is going to be even better,'' Jeffrey Sopko, Alorica's vice president of huamn resources, told the audience.
With its latest expansion, Alorica will exceed its original projection of creating 1,000 jobs, nearly a year ahead of schedue. The faster-than-expected growth is being fueled by a contract for a new line of service with an existing client, which Sopko did not identify. During a tour of the facility, local site manager Mike Freeman said the new workers would be housed in the south wing of the building devoted to AT&T wireless calls.
"Hopefully, when you come back here early next winter, this entire area will be full of smiling and taking calls,'' Freeman told the guests.
Following the recent sale of Gateway's professional division to Idaho-based MPC, Alorica now ranks as the largest employer in North Sioux City. Just down Interstate 29 to the south, Stream is the largest employer in Sergeant Bluff. Austin, Texas-based Stream moved into the former MCI call center in September 2006.
From the start, Stream workers have handled inbound calls from Sirius customers buying radios in retail stores and subscribing to the service. Impressed with that performance, Sirius decided to also award the Sergeant Bluff center the customer service duties for its rapidly growing new automobile market, said Vance LaVelle, senior vice president, marketing sales and service.
"These people here in these offices will help them understand how to use the radios, preset the channels and help them was into a lifelong Sirius subscriber,'' she said.
Sirius has deals with Ford, Chrysler and other manufacturers to factory install its radios and video players as a standard feature in new cars. In fiscal 2007-08, the company expects to sign up 6 million new auto customers, LaVelle said.
Company officials brought new vehicles to Sergeant Bluff Wednesday to help train Stream employees and demonstrate the radios and video players to the local media.
Tracie Franko, the local Stream site manager, said about 400 employees are assigned to Sirius, and with the new contract will increase that number by 100 to 150. The local center also provides customer service to some other clients, which Portmann would not identify.
Job fair
Alorica is running a job fair in conjunction with its anniversary celebration. Interviews will be by appointment today and Friday. The job fair and interviews will be at 300 Centennial Drive, North Sioux City. Appointments can be made by calling 605-422-4007 or you can apply online at www.aloricajobs.com
At a mid-morning announcement Wednesday, Alorica Inc. confirmed plans to hire 300 more workers at its customer-service and tech-support center in North Sioux City, bringing total employment to more than 1,150.
Four hours later, Stream announced its Sergeant Bluff center will be the primary customer support center for Sirius satellite radios factory-installed in new automobiles. The local center, which now employs about 600, has aggressive plans for the holiday season. Stream plans to add 100 to 200 new jobs by January, according to Stream CEO Toni Portmann, who attended the news conference along with several Sirius representatives.
Chino, Calif.-based Alorica made its announcement while celebrating its one-year anniversary in North Sioux City, where it leases the first floor of the former Argentina building on the Gateway Inc. campus. From a small start-up, the Alorica center has rapidly grown into a 850-employee operation that provides tech support and customer service to its two clients, Gateway and AT&T Wireless.
"If you think year one was pretty good, year two is going to be even better,'' Jeffrey Sopko, Alorica's vice president of huamn resources, told the audience.
With its latest expansion, Alorica will exceed its original projection of creating 1,000 jobs, nearly a year ahead of schedue. The faster-than-expected growth is being fueled by a contract for a new line of service with an existing client, which Sopko did not identify. During a tour of the facility, local site manager Mike Freeman said the new workers would be housed in the south wing of the building devoted to AT&T wireless calls.
"Hopefully, when you come back here early next winter, this entire area will be full of smiling and taking calls,'' Freeman told the guests.
Following the recent sale of Gateway's professional division to Idaho-based MPC, Alorica now ranks as the largest employer in North Sioux City. Just down Interstate 29 to the south, Stream is the largest employer in Sergeant Bluff. Austin, Texas-based Stream moved into the former MCI call center in September 2006.
From the start, Stream workers have handled inbound calls from Sirius customers buying radios in retail stores and subscribing to the service. Impressed with that performance, Sirius decided to also award the Sergeant Bluff center the customer service duties for its rapidly growing new automobile market, said Vance LaVelle, senior vice president, marketing sales and service.
"These people here in these offices will help them understand how to use the radios, preset the channels and help them was into a lifelong Sirius subscriber,'' she said.
Sirius has deals with Ford, Chrysler and other manufacturers to factory install its radios and video players as a standard feature in new cars. In fiscal 2007-08, the company expects to sign up 6 million new auto customers, LaVelle said.
Company officials brought new vehicles to Sergeant Bluff Wednesday to help train Stream employees and demonstrate the radios and video players to the local media.
Tracie Franko, the local Stream site manager, said about 400 employees are assigned to Sirius, and with the new contract will increase that number by 100 to 150. The local center also provides customer service to some other clients, which Portmann would not identify.
Job fair
Alorica is running a job fair in conjunction with its anniversary celebration. Interviews will be by appointment today and Friday. The job fair and interviews will be at 300 Centennial Drive, North Sioux City. Appointments can be made by calling 605-422-4007 or you can apply online at www.aloricajobs.com
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