Woot, more good news for OKC!


By Jim Stafford
The AAA Member Services Co. plans to build a 200,000 square-foot customer service center and bring 1,200 jobs to Oklahoma City, a spokesman for the automobile service company said today.


“This site selection is not only good news for Oklahoma City,” said Neal Krueger, President and CEO of AAA Oklahoma, “it’s good news for the members of participating AAA clubs who stand to benefit from Oklahoma’s motivated work force, friendly business environment and low cost of operation.”
Krueger said AAA has signed a contract with Koll Development Co. of Dallas so the contractor can purchase land in the Quail Springs Office Park just north of the Kilpatrick Turnpike and west of May Ave.
Construction will begin next month with completion slated for late 2009.
Oklahoma City contact center employees will provide membership, travel, insurance and emergency road services to AAA members in many states, including northern California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, South Dakota, Oklahoma and possibly others.

Another call center.

I...can...hardly...contain...my...enthusiasm... :doh:

Not a call center. It is a contact center for member services. It isn't like they will be doing outside sales or anything.

Its not ideal, but its jobs.

I know, I know..... a Call Center but hey, 1,200 people are probably excited to have jobs. And the people building the 200,000 sq ft building are probably excited too....

We have to appreciate anything positive in this economy.

We need to get more ou sweatshirts and pants to outfit the call center fatties. This is good for business, I have so many ideas already!

How can this be bad? Lots more money injected into the economy and tons more jobs.

OKC is one of the very few places where people can work in call centers and still have a good standard of life; own a home, etc. It might not be what I want to do for a living but I also don't want to work for the state, Tinker, etc.

Besides, there are lots of managerial level jobs that are part of these places. Not everyone is answering phones.

I hate to tell people but OKC's location, the type of worker, and the economy of the state is going to continue to draw more call/contact centers.

And yes...a contact center is a call center. It looks like it'll be all inbound calls, but there is always some measure of outbound traffic to be done at any center.

My only gripe, the location. Would rather see them develop the site around Dell more, or try to find a more centralized location.

We need to stop promoting the radically anti-intellectual culture that exists here if we want to be a real big league city. First off, we have the most little league media establishment in the country here (amongst big cities), our schools suck, there's little to do with those of us who have triple digit IQs, etc....

Sure, this is good for people who like to listen to The Sports Animal and pop gum at the mall or chill with their "homies" at Buffalo Wild Wings, but good grief LOL!

..also, with Dobson being purchased, is that site going to continue or maybe these guys could just move in there?

We need to stop promoting the radically anti-intellectual culture that exists here if we want to be a real big league city. First off, we have the most little league media establishment in the country here (amongst big cities), our schools suck, there's little to do with those of us who have triple digit IQs, etc....

Sure, this is good for people who like to listen to The Sports Animal and pop gum at the mall or chill with their "homies" at Buffalo Wild Wings, but good grief LOL!


Wow, YOUR Oklahoma City must really suck.....

Blazer. I appreciate that you think you are better than others, so I encourage you to start the kind of "intellectual" and creative business and hire those of your superior ilk. In the meantime, 1200 persons will find honest, meaningful jobs to benefit themselves and their families. The pay will enable them to spend money and expand our economy. This is just part of a complete economy...one that is healthy in Oklahoma.

I am all for great jobs at whatever level. We can't be elitists and mean spirited. This is a welcoming and kind spirited city. Don't let your "triple digit IQ" let you think you are better than any other hard working Joe.

We need to stop promoting the radically anti-intellectual culture that exists here if we want to be a real big league city. First off, we have the most little league media establishment in the country here (amongst big cities), our schools suck, there's little to do with those of us who have triple digit IQs, etc....

Sure, this is good for people who like to listen to The Sports Animal and pop gum at the mall or chill with their "homies" at Buffalo Wild Wings, but good grief LOL!Your right. You need to stop that. Right now. Just stop it.

Don't let your "triple digit IQ" let you think you are better than any other hard working Joe.
He He:)
I 'm with most folks, the more jobs, the better. Now if AAA will move thier headquarters here?

000...001...002...003. Am I getting close?

This is good no matter how you look at it. I work in an office that started out as predominantly a call center. In our case, as the company has seen the economic benefits of doing business in the Midwest come to fruition, it has become increasingly more entrenched here. Since 2000, we have grown from just a handful to over 1,400 employees at the okc location and the building is bursting at the seams. There are probably 500 workers who make $50k + a year, including many of the best IT jobs you can get in the city.

It's like planting a seed. Bring it.

if ( yourehappy && youKnowIt ) { clapyourhands(); }

Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY - Company X, universally considered the leader in cutting edge design of non-effis clad buildings by everyone except members of the Gaylord family (and their better paid employees), announced plan today to build a 51 1/2 story iconic headquarters near downtown Oklahoma City in the emergent C2S platte. When asked about the height of the building, a company spokesperson indicated that their intent was to be at least 1/2 story taller than the previously announced Devon Energy building. “We saw some early indications that they (Devon) might only build a 4.8 story building however we’re not taking any chances. We believe we will be cooler anyway but, we intend to keep our advantage even if we have to permanently assign an employee to stand on top of the building 24/7 to get the extra six feet.” Bill Simpelton, vice-president for global operations and microwave ovens said that 500 new jobs will be created averaging over $500,000 per position annually. Simpelton said that Company X is primarily looking for people with a demonstrated ability to whine publicly on message boards but who lack the power, prestige, drive or wealth to effect true change. "Additionally," he continued, "they would be required to opine the virtues of downtown living while maintaining their primary residence in the suburbs living over their parents’ garages.” “We want the sort of people who would work at Chesapeake, if they could,” said Simpleton, “but who recognize that companies need to eschew the notion of guarding strategic information in favor of total transparency and ultimately, subservience to message board polling information." Separately, Simpleton announced that Randy Hogan and Jim Brewer would be hired to acquire the land, manage the building project and attract national tenants to retail spaces available on the first two floors of the new skyscraper. Brewer was quoted as saying that his top priority was acquiring 20-30 acres to be used as surface parking for Company X employees and placing large “Coming Soon” signs in land as it is acquired. Hogan stated that he was still unsure as to where C2S was located within Lower Bricktown but would be getting with a representative from Rand McNally soon to go over the "location detail" in greater depth.

will company x use top down photographed marketing clip-art people in promoting their fine product, bwana_bob, or a more straightforward marketing photo clip art perspective?

http://www.cybergateinteractive.com/images/pic_int_marketing.jpg

Cutting edge only Blazer - Company X will feature aerial shots of polar bears in their marketing (the cute ones that are stuffed, not the real ones that would tear you limb from limb to protect their cubs). We believe that clip art people were created by Microsoft in their ill-fated attempts to get "Clippy" recognized as the mascot for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

Image:Clippy-letter.PNG - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Clippy-letter.PNG)

...and that is when this thread lost all meaning.

Pete,

These "contact" centers are terrible to work for. I have a family member who has worked at: Hertz, Farmer's, AOL, Convergys and many others. All of these jobs are dead-end meatgrinders. Most of her coworkers can barely eke out a living. They are all run the same: the only people who can make a living are supervisors, and they are trained hatchet people. These hardly qualify as "jobs," they are more like "McJobs."

...and that is when this thread lost all meaning.

Kerry, I think you give me too much credit. Blazerfan pretty well took this ship down several posts ago. The unflagging lack of enthusiasm for 1,200 new jobs - jobs that many of us might now want to take but - that will create 1,200 more wage earners spending money with your business or mine, sharing life on the tax rolls and otherwise contributing to the local economy, is mystifying (hence my Company X post). To guru's point, these are not designed for the top wage earner in most households but if this is all you can qualify for, it's time to get more qualifications.

OKC is one of the very few places where people can work in call centers and still have a good standard of life; own a home, etc. It might not be what I want to do for a living but I also don't want to work for the state, Tinker, etc..

Are you suggesting you would rather sweat it out at a call center gig with Mondays and Tuesdays off...sans benefits....over a cushy gig at the state?

I´m not saying all state jobs are a breeze.....but I sometimes wonder how many accumulated sick days/earned days off a person can take.

Are you suggesting you would rather sweat it out at a call center gig with Mondays and Tuesdays off...sans benefits....over a cushy gig at the state?

No, I'm suggesting I'm not interested in any of those jobs but that doesn't mean lots of other people aren't.


And guru, my two older sisters (neither went to college) have worked for Hertz for 20+ years and are paid well, have good benefits and lots of other perks. Both own nice homes in good public school districts and have put their kids through college.

No, I'm suggesting I'm not interested in any of those jobs but that doesn't mean lots of other people aren't.


And guru, my two older sisters (neither went to college) have worked for Hertz for 20+ years and are paid well, have good benefits and lots of other perks. Both own nice homes in good public school districts and have put their kids through college.

Thats a thing of the past though. 20 minus 2008 = 1988 last I checked. Things have changed since then with regards to call centers...were they highered on as temps? Probably not....etc etc bla bla bla

...and that is when this thread lost all meaning.

Kerry, I think you give me too much credit. Blazerfan pretty well took this ship down several posts ago. The unflagging lack of enthusiasm for 1,200 new jobs - jobs that many of us might now want to take but - that will create 1,200 more wage earners spending money with your business or mine, sharing life on the tax rolls and otherwise contributing to the local economy, is mystifying (hence my Company X post). To guru's point, these are not designed for the top wage earner in most households but if this is all you can qualify for, it's time to get more qualifications.

I couldn't agree more....

Everyone thinks that we should be going after gushy coportorate headquarter-type jobs only. I think that is a great idea, but it is not realistic. Do you think that every corporate execuitve wakes up in the morning and says about his or her respective hometown, "Good GAWD! This place SUCKS! Lets move the company to City X and spend millions of dollars doing so" I think peoples opinion in OKC about economic development is a bit warped by the influence of our neigbors to the south in Texas, who will gladly whore themselves out to get any sort of company. If they were to announce this thing in Michigain, Ohio, or some rusty old hamlet with 10% + unemployment, you wouldn't see folks complaining.

I think it great that people in OKC have high standards for the community, but the fact remains that this is 1,200 jobs we didn't have yesterday. No, it won't create any millionaires, but I think to whine about it is a bit petty.

Just my 0.02 for what its worth....

For those of you that are saying this apparent sweatshop is no big deal..... the question I have is this: Do you think they will have a hard time finding 1200 people to fill the positions??????

Maybe their operation and tactics will be so heinous that even people currently scrubbing toilets will opt out..... I don't know how they will be able to even get employees.....

Will I be giving up my current position as a professional writer of 11 years to take one???? Um, no...... but then again there was a time in my life I would have killed for a job like that..... and contrary to popular belief, those people do exist in OKC.....

And if someone takes this AAA job and then decides it IS the third ring of hades, then it's STILL in their own personal accountability to do what is necessary to get a better job, or acquire the skills that will net them a better job.... that point doesn't cease to exist regardless of how bad, or good the AAA jobs are......

Thats a thing of the past though. 20 minus 2008 = 1988 last I checked. Things have changed since then with regards to call centers..

One of my nieces started with Hertz a few years ago and a nephew works for State Farm in the former Shepherds Mall. Both really like their jobs and are well-paid for early 20-somethings.

And as previously stated, when 1,200 jobs come to town, there are lots of managers, HR, IT and other types of positions as well.

I have a family member who has worked at: Hertz, Farmer's, AOL, Convergys and many others. All of these jobs are dead-end meatgrinders. - soonerguru

Call center jobs are meant to be entry level positions - not careers. If a person works at more than one call center job in their life time they might want to start expanding their horizons. You are correct though – going from one call center job to another would really suck. I would think a person would figure that out pretty quick. Then again, obviously not.

yah, it's not really that bad of a thing I agree...

On a related note, I just noticed that AAA is based in San Francisco...is this the "unnamed financial company" the Journal Record was referring to that has a lesbian on its board and was spooked by Kerngate about moving here?

At least the personnel department at Hertz and various other call centers tell it like it is and discourage certain individuals from applying.

I know of people with degrees and experience making 40K and over at previous jobs pretty much discouraged from going further in interviews.

But when you need a job, you need a job. And that´s what these are, indeed.

Gawd what a negative thread for something that is ONLY good news.

Thats a thing of the past though. 20 minus 2008 = 1988 last I checked. Things have changed since then with regards to call centers...were they highered on as temps? Probably not....etc etc bla bla blaI thought you said that you have an IQ in the triple digits. 20 minus 2008 is minus 1988. 20 - 2008 = <1988>

I think he meant absolute value: -1988 = |1988|

If you'd like to whine about call centers, please press 1.
If you'd like to apply for the next available opening, please press 2.
If you have an IQ in triple digits, why didn't you already press 0 to reach a live person? Project much?
If you are still listening, please hold the line and someone will be able to assist you shortly, well, in the not too distant futu... you know what, if we're so busy we haven't cut in by now, you may as well hang up, go make a sandwich and try again. We don't really answer calls in order, but we do adore passing out false hope by saying we do.

So you're implying that only fat lazy slobs work at call centers. You're hilarious. Many people start at call centers part time during college, etc. Many times they are hired onto a more professional role after graduation. As for the rest... at least they have jobs and aren't living off welfare. I am not going to knock ANYONE who is at least trying to better themselves or their families. Maybe that's the best they can get at this point in their life? Do you think they actually want to work there the rest of their life? Probably not... but at least they are doing SOMETHING.

If you don't like call centers, then don't work there.

At least we won't have to call India when we need Triple A service ....

Yay Bretthexum!

Seriously, I loathe people who won't take a job because it's beneath them.. sheesh, if it comes down to the difference in feeding your kids, losing your home, living in a car or ??? take the job at McDonalds (or a call center) and put our your resumes out in the middle of the night.

Okay, I have a 122 IQ (not the most intelligent but in the top 6% people of the world) and I am THRILLED to have AAA bring those 1200 jobs to Oklahoma City, because you must first develop a diversified workforce before higher paying employers will consider Oklahoma City.

I think we need to take what we can get...while the rest of the country is in a recession people being laid off (look at the unemployment numbers) Oklahoma City is adding 1200 jobs?! and we are complaining about it?!

Would I love a Citi or JP Morgan to move their headquarters to Oklahoma City? Yes, do I think that is realistic when people from around the country and the world think that we still have gun fights in the street while we pump oil? No. We need to diversify before we can develop the high paying jobs that I think EVERYONE on this forum wants to see.

So you're implying that only fat lazy slobs work at call centers. You're hilarious. Many people start at call centers part time during college, etc. Many times they are hired onto a more professional role after graduation. As for the rest... at least they have jobs and aren't living off welfare. I am not going to knock ANYONE who is at least trying to better themselves or their families. Maybe that's the best they can get at this point in their life? Do you think they actually want to work there the rest of their life? Probably not... but at least they are doing SOMETHING.

If you don't like call centers, then don't work there.

I doubt anyone thinks that a new call center and new jobs is a bad thing. More jobs is always a good thing. I don't care what kind of jobs they are, jobs are good.

What is bad is that OKC is apparently having a tough time attracting businesses which aren't call centers.

It is legitimate to be concerned that OKC's image in the corporate world is one where we have a ready work force which is generally poorly educated and will accept low pay.

I think he meant absolute value: -1988 = |1988|

Kerry, I bet your right. I never would have thought of that. Even if I had wanted to. I only got 1.75 digits.

I doubt anyone thinks that a new call center and new jobs is a bad thing. More jobs is always a good thing. I don't care what kind of jobs they are, jobs are good.

What is bad is that OKC is apparently having a tough time attracting businesses which aren't call centers.

It is legitimate to be concerned that OKC's image in the corporate world is one where we have a ready work force which is generally poorly educated and will accept low pay.

Well, then we can start a thread about that instead of raining on the 1200 job parade. :gossip:

Well, then we can start a thread about that instead of raining on the 1200 job parade. :gossip:

I'll rain on any 'ol parade I feel like rainin' on.

:tiphat:

I doubt anyone thinks that a new call center and new jobs is a bad thing. More jobs is always a good thing. I don't care what kind of jobs they are, jobs are good.

What is bad is that OKC is apparently having a tough time attracting businesses which aren't call centers.

It is legitimate to be concerned that OKC's image in the corporate world is one where we have a ready work force which is generally poorly educated and will accept low pay.Midtowner,I think your last statement says it all. Although I would have to somewhat disagree with your first comment, there are some who think they're bad. I'm not one of them. Any job, is a good job, for someone.

What bothers me more than anything, is when these companies roll into town with their hand out for huge incentives, while making huge promises to create hundreds, if not thousands of new jobs. It's happen time and time again. They get the money, but we don't get the jobs we were baited with.

Tower Tech, Owens Corning, Quad-Graphics, Dell, just to name a few. I'm sure there are many who have met, or even exceeded their end of the deal. And I applaud them. For those who fell short, and didn't make good on their promises, we did at least get some new jobs. I will consider my glass half full.

Would this look better to everyone if AAA demanded $20 million or $50 million in tax incentives before coming here?

I have an extreme dislike for any tax directly tied to earnings, either individual or corporate. I agree with the founding fathers that labor and the rewards of labor should not be taxed period and I will support 100&#37; any legal means to avoid paying such taxes. So to answer your question, no it wouldn't bother me.

Having never seen the insides of one, what's the pros and cons of call center employment beyond mundane work with limited advancement possibilities

I have worked in a call center and my fellow coworkers referred to it as the soul-sucking abyss! We had decent pay, great benefits and the company treated us very well, but the work was mind numbing.

I've never been in one either but I'll take a guess.

Pros:

A paycheck

Health benefits

Supplying jobs to those who didn't have opportunities or support to attend college.

Cons:

Mundane work.. but most work is mundane. That's why it's called work and not play.

i've heard it mentioned many time that companies like putting in call centers here because oklahomans are known to be friendly and for the most part have a regionless accent (not too northern or southern)

Karried, it's worth noting that call centers usually bring people on using a probation period...usually the length of the lifespan avg. of a call-center employee..thus, few actually will have the fancy benefits.

True that.

Hertz only offers benefits and the like after a 90-day probation period. I believe you can then put in for your ten vacation days after your first year (excluding three floating days) like most American companies.

Maybe it's just me but working a solid year before getting ten paid holidays tells me the Europeans might be on to something. Ugh!

Another thing to consider....while it's fantastic to have employment and a steady income...you'll be working with a horrid schedule....almost always swing shift with a Tuesday and Weds type day off. There are people at Hertz ten years now waiting for the good shifts to open up. One reason for the high turnover.

I agree it's not the best job in the world, but for college kids, or people needing a second income, it's better than some of the alternatives out there.

I guess we could just tell AAA not to come and start passing out cardboard signs so people can stand on the corner and beg for change.

Might not be a bad idea. A better company could come along under the auspices of said company realizing "hey, Oklahoma City folk are too good to be a dumb call center center..."

Hasn't happened yet.

Trust me, we have more than enough room for a few companies to come here if they wanted to .... along with AAA.

probably true. Oh well, doesn't hurt to dream of an okc free from the bondage of call centers and other radically anti-intellectual whatnots...

No, I get what your saying.... Silicon Valley was a pretty cool place to live... lots of intellectuals wandering around.

But, I just don't want to discount the fact that some people need these jobs.. maybe at a particular point in their lives and there should be no shame in working hard and trying to earn a living... even if it's at a 'lowly' call center.

If my kids were hungry, and I didn't have any marketable skills, I'd be working at Quick Stop or Denny's... whatever it took short of being illegal.. that's all I'm saying.

attention condescending snobs... there are a bunch of folks that can use those jobs that are soooo beneath you.