A Columbus, Ohio-based communications company opens a center in
Albany with nearly 200 employees.
Danny Carter - Business Editor
ALBANY - Bob Massey, chairman of the board of CallTech Communications
LLC, says he's pleased with the startup of his company's new facility in
Albany.
But he has even greater expectations.
Employing close to 200 workers at its 21,000-square-foot call center at
2707 Dawson Road, Massey said the potential for the Albany center is up
to 600 employees.
The company celebrated its official grand opening Tuesday but has been
operating here for about two weeks.
Approximately 200 workers are providing technical support for
BellSouth's DSL customers in nine Southeastern states.
"I think the potential here is phenomenal," Massey said. "If BellSouth
is pleased with the results we achieve here, our goal is to hire three
times this many, or 600 people.
"The key to success is finding the right people to do the job, day in
and day out. To find 200 people who can handle a very technical product
coming out of the gate is not a very easy thing to do. We've been very
successful in attracting the right people."
Massey said several of the initial hires "decided this was not the kind
of business they wanted to be in." However, local manager Jeff Ennis
said 31 people are going through training now to replace them.
The Albany center, which is located in the former Wal-Mart facility at
Albany Square, is the company's fifth call center. The Columbus,
Ohio-based company also has two call centers in Ohio and centers in
Pennsylvania and Florida.
Massey told local business leaders attending Tuesday's grand opening
that he was impressed at the recruitment of his business.
"The mayor greeted us at the airport," Massey said. "You don't get that
everywhere. You guys have the formula down. The EDC (Albany-Dougherty
Economic Development Commission) was extremely responsive. ... You're
going to be very successful in attracting other companies to the city if
you continue to do the things you did with CallTech."
Massey said the company considered Valdosta and Americus before choosing
Albany.
Mark Davis, chairman of the board of the the Albany Area Chamber of
Commerce, agreed with Massey and said the local community has succeeded
"in the romance period."
"But we also are good at making the marriage successful," Davis said.
"We have partnerships at all levels of this state that will ensure not
only that you are here, but that you will remain here."
Lamar Reese, chairman of the Dougherty County Commission, said the
location of CallTech in the former Wal-Mart center was a significant
achievement for local governments and the Chamber of Commerce. The
former Wal-Mart property now houses a Hobby Lobby and CallTech. Stein
Mart plans to locate in a segment of the facility later this year,
leaving just one small portion of the building vacant.
"Losing Wal-Mart (to Lee County) was a tough blow for us," Reese said.
"It's tough to replace that amount of retail sales. Yes, it has affected
us, but we didn't sit around and moan and groan about our shortfall.
"We stepped up through (Albany Area Chamber of Commerce president) Tim
Martin and Jeff (Sinyard, chairman of the EDC) and others who have been
active in recruiting people to come to Dougherty County."
