The nearly 4,000 workers employed to the Montego Bay-based e-Services Limited are expected to retain their jobs, according to Affiliated Computer Services, Inc (ACS). The company is in discussions to purchase the local information technology operation from Patrick Casserly.

ACS is an American call-centre operator with business in Asia and the Caribbean.

A release from the company yesterday said on the completion of the acquisition of e-Services, no workforce restructuring would take place.

Expansion for int'l delivery

"e-Services would continue to be managed by its management team and operations would continue to be performed by e-Services' employees at their current facilities," ACS stated.

The company said its acquisition of e-Services would serve to expand its global delivery platform.

e-Services, with nearly 4,000 employees and a client list that includes some of the best-known names in corporate America, including Delta Airlines, is Jamaica's largest call-centre operator. In addition to Montego Bay, e-Services has operations in Portmore, St Catherine. Gleaner sources estimate the company has revenue of approximately US$80 million per year.

In Jamaica, ACS, a major global player in the field, is number two, with around 2,000 employees.

If it consummates the deal with e-Services, ACS would, effectively, become the island's call-centre giant, dwarfing the remaining handful of independent companies.

Valuable asset

"The addition of the business process outsourcing (BPO) and customer-care company - with approximately 4,000 employees in Jamaica and St Lucia - would provide ACS and its clients with a highly trained English-speaking workforce capable of handling complex business functions from a location and time zone convenient to North American businesses," the release continued.

Tom Blodgett, executive vice-president and group president of ACS Business Process Solutions, said the company was seeking seasoned management and experienced employees to allow ACS to expand its capabilities in order to provide clients with top-quality customer care.

"ACS is committed to being a leading customer-care provider to the global market," he said.