Barclaycard is to outsource customer service operations for its UK credit card and consumer lending business to Indian BPO outfit FirstSource.
FirstSource has signed a five-year deal with the UK bank, which will entail the transfer of some 700 staff at its Teeaside call centre as well as a related payment servicing team located in Wavertree, Merseyside.
Derek Allgood, global sales and service director, Barclaycard, says: "Firstsource has given us a commitment to establish a long-term presence here in Teesside and, with their global footprint, they are also well placed to meet the current and future needs of our growing international customer base. We are confident this partnership is the right option for our colleagues, customers and the Barclaycard business."
In February 2008, Firstsource signed a similar five-year outsourcing agreement with Barclays' US credit card business, where it runs the bank's operations centre in Colorado Springs.