Local economist says call centers are on the decline

Medford, Ore. – A local economist says Medford call center FTD closing fits with recent trends in the local job market. In the last five years, the use of call centers have significantly decreased, from around 600 local workers to around 240.

Local economists say call centers are usually categorized in the “business services” sector, and while the sector as a whole is growing, the use of call centers has been on the decline for some time. Guy Tauer, a regional economist with the Oregon Employment Department says it’s usually because a corporation buys a local business that’s grown to a higher level, and then can’t maintain it, the very situation that led to FTD closing.

“We seem to be, recently, on the short end of that stick, where as companies have been bought out by other companies, they’ve consolidated those operations, and the Rogue Valley hasn’t really been a beneficiary of those consolidations and buy-outs,” Tauer said.

Tauer also believes human-to-human contact is being limited by online and electronic services. He suggests that may also be a factor in the decline of call centers.

Overall, the local job market is showing growth, and there are about 6,000 jobs available right now in the Rogue Valley. For more information, click here.