CRESTVIEW CALL CENTER CONTINUES TO GROW

As I have noted in the past, Crestview is not only on the eyes of the Aerospace and Defense industry; it is on the eyes of many others. The Crestview Industrial Airpark (Bob Sikes Airport) is a Florida Enterprise Zone and has received millions for improvement and offers a number of financing and tax incentives for businesses created at the Industrial Airpark. I can tell you, you should expert more announcements shortly.

Crestview call center doubled staff
By Brian Hughes brianh@crestviewbulletin.com
2011-02-17 09:10:09
NEW Customer Service Companies were the new guys in town in 2004. Since then, the company has doubled its staff at its Crestview location. “When NEW first came to look at its site at the end of 2003, beginning of 2004, they said if you can provide us an enterprise zone at this site, we’ll bring you an operation,” said Larry Sassano, president of the Okaloosa County Economic Development Council. “At that time they had projected to hire about 250 people for that site. They’re over 500 people now. They grew beyond their expectations.” Sassano said of the company’s 22 call centers around the U.S., as well as a handful outside of the country, NEW ranks its Crestview facility among the best. “They say this is their best-run center,” Sassano said. “They really give the credit to the people that work there. There is a high-caliber group in Crestview, with a low turnover rate and a good work ethic. That says a lot about Crestview when a company this big says that.” Missy Dalrymple of the Crestview NEW office’s human resources department was flattered by Sassano’s comments, but hastened to acknowledge the efforts of the company’s other locations. “All of our sites are very productive and performing at a high level,” Dalrymple said. Employees like Chris Brigham give the company high marks for caring about the people who there. Brigham, who recently separated out of the Navy and is now attending Pensacola Junior College, has worked for NEW in Crestview for six months. “I love it,” Brigham said. “The work is easy and the people are real nice.” NEW provides and services product protection plans for “a large percentage of the majority of retailers,” said Laura Lechner, communications specialist at NEW’s Sterling, Va., corporate headquarters. Cell phones and consumer electronics are the company’s specialties, she said. “Really, it’s trouble-shooting products, taking claim information, and servicing products like electronics, appliances, sporting equipment and even jewelry,” Lechner said. Clients include Walmart, Sam’s Club, JCPenney, DirecTV, Sony, and international giants such as Germany’s Media Markt and Britain’s TESCO, according to the company’s website. NEW’s employees go through a vigorous training program to become experts in the products offered by the client. “It’s amazing how much they learn,” Lechner said. “That’s why the training lasts six weeks.”