Level 3 Communications subsidiary Software Spectrum has sold its Ballsbridge technical support centre to US-based outsourcing company ECE Holdings for an undisclosed sum, saving some 30 software jobs that were earmarked to be transferred to Germany.
Interestingly ECE Holdings, which was formerly known as Spectrum Contact Services, was a subsidiary of Software Spectrum before being sold off last June to US private equity investment firm HIG Capital. HIG has a controlling interest in 50 companies and has combined revenues in excess of US$5bn per annum.
In July, Software Spectrum revealed that some 90 out of 100 jobs at the company’s technical support centre in Ballsbridge were to be transferred to the company’s operations in Munich. As a result, only 40 staff remained at the operation prior to this week’s acquisition by ECE Holdings.
ECE Holdings’ vice-president of marketing and business strategy Katherin Dockerill told siliconrepublic.com that the company aims to turn the Dublin operation into its European hub for providing technology support services to US software and hardware companies targeting the European market.
As a result, she said, the road will be open to creating new multilingual technical support positions at the Ballsbridge operation.
ECE provides technical support and customer service outsourcing to some of the world’s best known PC software publishers, internet service providers and original equipment manufacturers via telephone and web-based channels. The Dublin operation will provide pan-European multilingual support for high-tech companies including consumer and enterprise support.
According to Dockerill, ECE plans to continue to expand into Europe through organic growth, new business and additional acquisitions.
The Ballsbridge centre’s senior site manager Larena Derham commented: “We are delighted to be part of the ECE team and to continue our support of the European marketplace. Our strategic location in Dublin will enable ECE to attract and retain a wealth of talented, multilingual support professionals.”
By John Kennedy
