The Business Link helpline will go live by end of November this year, when the Business Link regional services close.
Working in partnership with the Business & Enterprise Group, Indian-owned Careline Services’ phone operators will all be based in the UK, in Hounslow (West London) and Seaham (near Newcastle). Founded in 1997 by entrepreneurs Charles Cooper-Driver (Careline’s MD) and David Jackson (Careline’s commercial director), £20m-turnover Careline Services was acquired by India’s Hinduja Global Solutions in June last year. A BIS spokesperson says Careline was awarded the contract following a transparent tender process for which ten companies applied. “Careline Services was awarded the Business Link helpline contract after a rigorous procurement process using a Central Office of Information framework agreement. The panel were impressed with the quality of Careline’s bid and the management team.” While Careline is still managed by the company’s founders, the contract raises questions over over why taxpayers are lining the pockets of a foreign-owned – rather than a British-owned – company. For sure, Careline is, through-and-through, a solid British employer (the company employes 1,200 staff in the UK), but was there no British-owned call centre business which could offer the same service and competitive tender as Careline? Business Link’s evolution from a primarily “in person” organisation to an online/phone service hasn’t been without its critics, but ministers feel confident that the new proposition will offer better value for money, while continuing to support British enterprise. We’re not going all Daily Mail on you – it’s just that the current government has been very vocal about promoting British businesses. Indeed, just last week, Business Secretary Vince Cable launched a “Made By Britain” campaign. So it just strikes us as a little hypocritical for them to appoint an Indian-owned firm to provide business support to British businesses. Picture source
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
