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Techies wanted at call center

If you have computer certification and an easy phone manner, 300 new spots are opening up at a Tampa call center.

By KRIS HUNDLEY
Published September 15, 2006

A Tampa call center said Thursday it is hiring 300 people to handle customer service for a new client, a major U.S. computer manufacturer.

Stream, based in Dallas, has operated a center in Tampa near the state fairgrounds since 1999, when it opened as Software Spectrum Inc. The Tampa facility, at 6302 E Martin Luther King Blvd., currently has about 600 employees who handle calls from America Online subscribers.

Russ Rossi, Stream's senior site director, declined to name the company's new client but said it specifically selected Tampa for its customer service support. Tampa is one of 24 Stream locations globally and one of four in the United States.

"There's a built-in market with a ready skill set in Tampa," said Rossi, who said no public tax incentives were received for the expansion. "There's a high concentration of high-tech employees here."

Applicants for the new positions must have CompTIA A+ certification, which confirms technical aptitude on a variety of hardware and software. Rossi said new employees also need to understand computer installations, configurations, some networking and preventive maintenance. Workers will be handling incoming calls from individuals and small-business owners.

Pay starts at $15 an hour for entry-level customer service. Rossi said the center is also hiring higher-paid trainers, managers and supervisors.

Applications can be filed online at Stream's Web site www.stream.com or by calling (813) 627-3809.

Kris Hundley can be reached at hundley@sptimes.com or (727) 892-2996.

[Last modified September 15, 2006, 11:10:28]