Affiliated Computer Services to Cut 200 Jobs in Lakeland, Fla.

The Ledger (Lakeland, FL) October 7, 2003 Byline: Adrian Zawada Oct. 7–LAKELAND, Fla.–Affiliated Computer Services Inc. said it will shut down its local Nextel call center and cut its staff of about 200 workers in order to merge operations, said Lesley Pool, the company’s chief marketing officer.

“We were looking to consolidate operations into a single location,” Pool said. She declined to say where the other Nextel call center is located; only that it is on the West Coast of the United States.

Dallas-based ACS told workers Thursday that their jobs handling customer support calls will end the first week of December. Those employed at least one year will receive severance packages, and Polk Works will assign its Re-employment Emergency Assistance Coordination Team to the 200 in their job searches.

The ACS operators work at 1010 E. Rose St., at North Ingraham Avenue, handling billing and customer service calls for Nextel Corp., the cellular telephone service provider. ACS is retaining the same contract with Nextel, Pool said.

ACS provides business and information technology services for organizations that prefer to hire an outside contractor.

Susan Clayton, the marketing and community relations officer for Polk Works, said she doesn’t expect the operators will have difficulty finding jobs because there are several large local employers that need their customer service and typing skills.

“They will be able to get re-employment relatively quickly, especially with the high demand for call-center staff,” Clayton said. The closure will not affect the 70 ACS employees contracted with Polk Works, Pool said, nor does it have any relation to the company’s possible acquisition of the Lockheed Martin shared services offices on South Parkway Frontage Road, which employ between 300 and 320 people. go to website affiliated computer services

Several major teleservices companies have offices in Polk County. GC Services employs 1,055 workers, most of whom are account representatives. General Manager Jim Tabers said the company is adding error processing positions and needs to hire Spanish-speaking representatives.

ACCENT Corp. in Winter Haven was in a growth phase and adding positions during the first half of the year but has not added any positions in the second half, said the general manager, Mark Kennedy. However, the company hires 30 or 40 workers a month because of turnover, he said.

“I feel bad for them, but that’s good for us,” said Ann Windsor, the company’s human resources manager, who said she’s hiring for the 3:30 p.m. to midnight shift. “If their workers can work evenings. I’d love to see them come and apply.” ACCENT Corp. employees handle inbound customer service calls, answering questions about customer accounts. The company employs 220 customer service agents out of a staff of about 305 employees.

Newtown, Pa.-based ICT Group, which has an office at 333 N. Lake Parker Ave., declined to comment.

Some skills that teleservice operators have developed may transfer over into related careers, Clayton said.

GEICO’s Florida regional service center on West Pipkin Street employs between 2,000 and 2,200 sales associates and is expanding its sales division this year, said Christine Tasher, a public relations director in the company’s Washington, D.C-area corporate headquarters.

ACS workers will look for jobs at other call centers, but they are concerned that their wages will decline.

“Polk County is already really high for unemployment,” one customer-care representative said. “And now there’s going to be all of us out there. Those other companies will only hire a certain amount of people, and all the other places start you out at the bottom (wage) again.” Most wages at the ACS call center range between $8 and $14 an hour, Clayton said. The average length of employment was four years. this web site affiliated computer services

Polk Works’ REACT will organize four workshops with ACS workers, she said, which will explain unemployment benefits, educational opportunities and services that Polk Works offers to job seekers. It will also host a job fair at which local employers can participate without charge.

Pool has acknowledged ACS’ plans to acquire the Lockheed Martin offices in Lakeland, and the companies are still in the midst of completing a massive exchange of their businesses.

ACS announced in August that it was selling a “substantial portion” of its federal government business for about $658 million. In exchange, ACS acquired Lockheed Martin’s commercial information technology business for about $107 million.

Lockheed Martin and ACS expect to finalize their exchange of businesses this month or in November, said Jeff Adams, a company spokesman.