Motorola Call Center opens in Duffield


By KEVIN CASTLE
Published March 28, 2006

DUFFIELD - The next time you activate a Motorola cell phone, the call to complete the transaction could be based in Scott County.

Officials with The Results Companies joined with U.S. Rep. Rick Boucher on Tuesday in an official opening ceremony for the inbound/outbound call center located inside the Pioneer Center for Business Development in Duffield.

Colorful landscapes that include a huge anime character complete with the Motorola logo and slogan, "HELLOMOTO," completed by art students from Mountain Empire Community College serve as a backdrop for the center, which was a gray, barren room seven months ago sprinkled with drywall dust and with air-conditioning ducts scattered along the floor.

It was Boucher's "Showcasing Southwest Virginia" program, which gives prospective businesses tours of economic development properties in the 9th Congressional District, that led the company to Duffield, said Robert Rapp, president of The Results Companies.

"The investment that Scott County made and the helpfulness and direction that Congressman Boucher and his staff gave us during the tour of the region, it gave us reason enough to make plans to come here," Rapp said.

Customer service support to Motorola will be the focus of the Duffield center, said Rapp, who added that the center will employ up to 100 people within the next 30 months.

The Virginia Department of Business Assistance helped pay for the training employees received prior to going to work manning the computers and phone lines.

Completion of their working quarters was aided by a $185,000 grant administered by the Scott County Economic Development Authority through the Virginia Tobacco Commission.

"Today's event is the result of leaders coming together, regardless of political affiliations, and working to bring jobs to Scott County," said Delegate Terry Kilgore, who chairs the Tobacco Commission.

Results University - the training, hiring and development arm of The Results Companies - saw an unexpected number of potential employees when a career fair was held earlier this year.

"We had over 250 people show up to apply for these jobs and waiting over two hours to get in and apply. ... It was a tremendous surprise and got us excited about the potential of this center in Duffield. We could not be more pleased with the work force we have here. It cemented our decision," said Linette Caicedo, Results University director.