ALPINE ACCESS ESTABLISHES OPERATIONS IN CALGARY

Virtual contact centre expanding into Canada for the first time, creating 600 new jobs countrywide

(CALGARY) -  Calgary Economic Development is pleased to announce that Alpine Access, the largest provider of virtual call centre outsourcing services in the U.S., is now expanding into Canada for the first time, using Calgary as its home base. The company’s international expansion is the result of the accelerated adoption of the at-home call centre model, as well as the recent signing of a multi-year contract to support the wireless operations of a major Canadian communications provider.
 
Alpine Access is a virtual contact centre headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with over 4,500 employees located in 40 states across the U.S. What makes the company unique is that 99 per cent of its employees work virtually from their homes, handling inbound customer service and technical support calls for some of the world's largest brands in financial services, communications, technology, healthcare, retail, travel and hospitality.

“In contrast to traditional brick-and-mortar call centres that continue to focus on closing North American locations to send jobs overseas, Alpine Access Canada is committed to creating meaningful employment opportunities domestically,” said Chad Lyne, Director of Corporate Strategy for Alpine Access. “Research has shown that a strong cultural affinity is essential for providing high quality service. This new contract will allow our client to serve its Canadian subscribers through a local, home-based workforce, thereby recognizing the exceptional value that a virtual, flexible workforce delivers in terms of superior service, operational efficiencies and improved customer loyalty.”

“The Alpine Access Canada model is a perfect example of WORKshift principles in practice,” said Robyn Bews, Program Manager, WORKshift, Calgary Economic Development. “Their model creates more work-at-home opportunities – ideal for talent who, for a number of reasons, prefer home-based employment rather than going to a work location or office.   Alpine Access Canada recognizes they are able to improve business results by eliminating facility costs while being more competitive in the global war for talent. Not only is Alpine Access Canada creating new jobs for the Calgary region, they are demonstrating that individuals and organizations are increasingly embracing the changing nature of work.” 

Commenting on the expansion, Lyne said, “We are excited to be affiliated with Calgary Economic Development and the goals of the WORKshift program. WORKshift has been a strong and vocal proponent of the multiple benefits that a virtualized workforce can provide, including reduced environmental impact, improved workforce productivity and higher employee satisfaction. We are pleased to see the leadership role WORKshift is taking in promoting the virtual workplace and raising awareness about the future of work in Calgary and throughout Canada.”

To support its newest communications client, Alpine Access Canada will be hiring over 600 work-at-home customer care professionals in the next two months.  Ideal candidates are self-starters desiring home-based employment.  Alpine Access Canada customer care professionals have strong educational backgrounds, a work history that includes previous customer service-related responsibilities and strong online computer skills. To learn more about specific employment requirements or to apply for a home-based position, please visit the Alpine Access Canada website at www.alpineaccess.com/canada/.

ABOUT ALPINE ACCESS
Alpine Access pioneered the virtual contact center model in 1998 to deliver high quality customer service at a lower cost for brand-conscious companies. Alpine Access has more than 4,500 employees and offers a full suite of services, including outsourcing, consulting, recruiting and training. Recently named the best contact center and CRM outsourcer for client satisfaction by the Black Book of Outsourcing, Alpine Access’ clients include ten of the Fortune 100 companies in the financial services, communications, technology, healthcare, retail, travel and hospitality sectors. For more information, visit the Alpine Access website at http://www.alpineaccess.com/ or call 1-866-279-0585.

ABOUT WORKSHIFT
WORKshift is an innovative initiative by Calgary Economic Development to promote, educate and accelerate the adoption of telecommuting in the business community. WORKshift offers businesses in the Calgary region tools and resources to assess and effectively implement telework programs for their employees. www.workshiftcaglary.com