HomeServe creating 100 call center jobs in Chattanooga
15-Feb-2012Chattanooga Times Free Press
By Mike Pare
Melissa Claton, of Chattanooga, said Tuesday she has been "pounding the pavement every day" looking for a job amid the tough hiring picture.
"I like customer service ... talking on the phone," she said at the Chattanooga offices of HomeServe USA, which held an open house for job seekers.
HomeServe, a top provider of emergency home repair services, plans to hire 30 more people in Chattanooga by March and boost that number to 100 within a year to 18 months, an official said.
With the additions in customer service and sales personnel along with property and casualty agents, HomeServe's head count in Chattanooga is to reach about 275, said Myles Meehan, the Stamford, Conn., company's senior vice president.
"We're fortunate to have growth in the company," he said.
HomeServe also is holding an open house in its East Brainerd offices at The Pointe Centre office park today and Thursday.
Pay for inbound customer service workers will range from $12 to $15 per hour plus commission, Meehan said. He said they take calls from across the country and Canada. Also, licensed property and casualty agents will receive a sign-on bonus of $250 after 90 days, according to the company.
Meehan said HomeServe, which sells and services utility warranties, is leasing more space at The Pointe Centre to make room for expansion of the business, which came to Chattanooga last year.
"Our business is all about delivering service to folks," he said.
Leticia High of Chattanooga was filling out a HomeServe employment application with hopes of improving on her existing job situation.
"I know people who work here who speak highly of the company," she said. "They look out for their employees."
HomeServe, which is British owned, has been called "kind of like the AAA for home service."
For example, the company sells policies to fix heating and air-conditioning systems, water heaters and inside electrical wiring, officials have said. It also offers policies to repair water and sewer lines.