UPDATED: MCI to close 400-employee call center June 30

MCI spokesperson Linda Laughlin said neither increased competition nor MCI’s January acquisition by Verizon were reasons for the close.

“It has to do with the market trends – a lot of people are beginning to use cell phones and Internet and (instant messaging) chat, and they don’t need a landline in the home anymore,” she said. “These are telemarketing people who did outbound calling on the residential side.”

Laughlin also said MCI operations took a hit with the introduction of the Do Not Call list, which allows consumers to sign a list that prohibits companies from calling them if they have no pre-established relationship.

“When that legislation passed, it really did reduce the amount of outbound calling our professional sales people could do,” Laughlin said.

Since 2000, MCI has downsized from as many as 1,200 employees. The company, previously known as WorldCom, has been closing call centers across the country since it filed for bankruptcy in 2002 and began outsourcing operations overseas.

Springfield’s Partnership for Economic Development will begin marketing the vacated facility and work to attract other businesses to the area to replace the lost jobs.

“We are disappointed with MCI’s decision to close this call center,” said Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce President Jim Anderson in a news release. “The effect of this closing on employees and their families is our first concern.”

Laughlin said she is aware of a number of other call center companies that have an eye on MCI’s Springfield employees.

“Several other companies have talked about being able to pluck the employees right away from MCI and putting them in a financial calling center or with some of our competitors in the city,” she said.

MCI has plans to conduct several job fairs and train its call center employees in interviewing and resume-writing skills, according to Laughlin.

The announcement comes as T-Mobile USA puts the finishing touches on a 700-employee call center, set to open next month.

Springfield has a significant presence of customer call centers, with Chase Card Services employing the most at 1,600. Others are ANPAC, with 555; Fairfield Resorts, with 450; Bass Pro Shops, with 300; and AT&T, with 210.[[In-content Ad]]