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Call centre growth
1996 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Call centres 2844 4925 5435 6205 6766 7649 8084
Agent places (000s) 126.5 237.0 270.2 307.4 320.4 362.2 382.4
of which: outsourced places (000s) 8.6 21.6 25.4 32.6 38.1 46.4 48.9
% outsourced 7 9 9 11 12 13 13
Source: Market and Business Development
Detailed specification for model building
Foundations Piles, caps and ground beams
Ground floor slabs 150 mm thick slab (powerfloat finish)
Structure and envelope Concrete frame and precast concrete floors. Brick facade with ribbon windows. Part curtain-walling. Six floors of structural floor-to-floor height of 4.6 m
Internal partitions Demountable and plasterboard partitions
Upper floors Precast concrete planks with structural topping. 450 mm deep, 600 × 600 mm raised access floor tiles
Stairs Precast concrete escape stairs and metal feature staircase
Windows and doors Double-glazed units within curtain-walling. Matching single-skin doors and glazing to reception
Internal windows and doors Hardwood veneered doors
Ceiling Suspended concealed grid, metal panel tiling and plasterboard
Floor finishes Reconstituted stone in entrance and lift lobbies, carpeting, plywood decking to restaurant and rest areas, anti-static tiling and raised access floors to call centre, lino and vinyl tiling to back-of-house areas
Wall finishes Three coats of emulsion to plasterboard walls. Coloured tiling in toilets
Fixtures and fittings Security tubestiles with matching glazing to entrances. Horizontal vane sun blinds to windows. Staff restaurant
Power Three phase to low voltage supply. One uninterrupted power supply system (150 kVA). One 650 kVA generator, one 500 kVA generator and one 150 kVA generator. Floor boxes for FM every 200 m2
Lighting Uplighters in suspended ceiling
Heating Sill line radiators
Ventilation Displacement ventilation plus static cooling. Variable air volume system to computer suite
Hot and cold water services Domestic-type hot and cold water services
Lifts Three eight-person hydraulic lift (one part goods) and small hydraulic goods lift
Security Security cameras with on-site monitoring suite. Computerised access control system. Inergen and Vesda fire protection
Communications installations Category 5 fibre optic/copper data cabling. Floor boxes every 10 m2 with 700 connectors
External works and landscaping 80/20 split of hard/soft landscaping. High maintenance soft landscaping. 450 parking spaces with access control to/from car park
Detailed specification for Egg, Pride Park, Derby
Foundations Piles, caps and ground beams
Ground-floor slabs 150 mm thick slab (powerfloat finish) and methane barrier
Structure and envelope Brick plinth, Kingspan profile sheet cladding to single-storey (10 m high) steel-frame incorporating mezzanine level. Glazed walls to relaxation areas. Profile metal sheet roofing system including rooflights to 10% of area
Internal partitions Concrete block and plasterboard partitions
Upper floors Profile decked mezzanine with reinforced screed. 600 × 600 × 600 mm raised access floor to lower level; 300 mm deep; 600 × 600 mm system to mezzanines
Stairs Precast concrete escape stairs and metal feature staircase
Windows and doors Double-glazed units within curtain walling. Single-skin doors and glazing to reception
Internal windows and doors Hardwood veneered doors
Ceiling Suspended concealed grid, metal panel tiling and plasterboard. Pergola to reception
Floor finishes Combination of reconstructed stone to entrance and lift lobbies, carpeting, plywood decking to restaurant and rest areas, anti-static tiling and raised access floors to call centre, lino and vinyl tiling to back of house
Wall finishes Three coats of emulsion to plasterboard walls. Timber panelling to training/meeting rooms. Rubber matting to recreation areas and coloured tiling/mosaics
Fixtures and fittings Security tubestiles with matching glazing to entrances. Horizontal window blinds. Mirrored walls to usability lab. MDF fittings to refreshment areas/kitchens. Archive racking to imaging centre. Staff restaurant and shop
Power Three phase to low voltage supply. Two uninterrupted power supply systems (150 kVA) and two generators (800 kVA). Floor boxes for FM every 200 m2
Lighting Mixture of gantry, strip and bulkhead lamps
Heating Convection system via underfloor forced air system supplemented with fan-assisted convection radiators to isolated areas
Ventilation Comfort-cooled via forced air displacement system to call centre. Variable air volume to the computer suite
Hot and cold water services Domestic-type hot and cold water services
Lifts Three eight-person hydraulic lift (one part goods) with two disabled lifts to mezzanines
Security Security cameras with on-site monitoring suite. Computerised access control system
Communications installations Category 6 fibre-optic/copper data cabling. Floor boxes every 10 m2 with 850 connectors
External works and landscaping 80/20 split of hard/soft landscaping. Medium maintenance soft landscaping. 500 parking spaces with access control to/from car park
Life-cycle costs of Egg, Pride Park, compared with a model call centre
Pride Park Traditional multistorey brick-clad  office call centre          
Total cost
over 25 years £		 Total cost
over £/year		 Total cost
£/m2 per year		 £/workstation
per year		 % Total cost
over 25 years £		 Total cost
over £/year		 Total cost
£/m2 per year		 £/workstation
per year		 % Difference £/workstation
Egg as % of model		 Comments on Egg Comments on model
CAPITAL                          
Build/fit-out cost 14,660,000 586,400 45.11 509.91 9.68 11,364,791 454,592 46.15 478.52 7.95 6.56 Slight economy of scale, simpler plan shape Complex floor plan, multistorey
Finance cost (real) 11,050,300 442,012 34.00 384.36 7.30 8,566,420 342,657 34.79 360.69 5.99 6.56    
Total capital cost 25,710,300 1,028,412 79.11 894.27 16.98 19,931,211 797,248 80.94 839.21 13.94 6.56    
REVENUE                          
Rent, insurance and rates                          
Rent 33,494,000 1,339,760 103.06 1165.01 22.12 38,813,375 1,552,535 157.62 1,634.25 27.14 –28.71 Lower rent on ‘industrial’ facade versus higher  
                      Rent paid on ‘prestigious’ facade and external works  
Rates 6,445,225 257,809 19.83 224.18 4.26 9,529,100 381,164 38.70 401.23 6.66 –44.13 Lower rates due to industrial building Lower rates due to industrial building.
Service charges 191,350 7,654 0.59 6.66 0.13 1,641,975 65,679 6.67 69.14 1.15 –90.37 Minimal external works Extensive external works, estate security
Insurance 2,345,225 93,809 7.22 81.57 1.55 886,325 35,453 3.60 37.32 0.62 118.58    
Utilities                          
Waste 1,401,975 56,079 4.31 48.76 0.93 1,205,000 48,200 4.89 50.74 0.84 –3.89 Dishwasher and crockery Packaged catering, disposable cutlery
Electricity 6,538,225 261,529 20.12 227.42 4.32 5,157,052 206,282 20.94 217.14 3.61 4.73 Economy of scale  
Gas 401,075 16,043 1.23 13.95 0.26 523,070 20,923 2.12 22.02 0.37 –36.66 Simple plan shape Complex floor plan, multi storey (wall/floor ratio)
Water 604,775 24,191 1.86 21.04 0.40 191,477 7,659 0.78 8.06 0.13 160.92 Dishwasher consumption  
Maintenance                          
M&E maintenance 3,817,375 152,695 11.75 132.78 2.52 2,323,398 92,936 9.44 97.83 1.62 35.73 More complex systems  
Reactive maintenance 879,375 35,175 2.71 30.59 0.58 716,875 28,675 2.91 30.18 0.50 1.33 Initial shakedown Established building
Planned replacements 4,886,667 195,467 15.04 169.97 3.23 3,788,264 151,531 15.38 159.51 2.65 6.56    
Facilities/services                          
Cleaning 4,559,925 182,397 14.03 158.61 3.01 4,581,900 183,276 18.61 192.92 3.20 –17.79 Simple plan and economy of scale Complex floor plan, multistorey
Security and reception 6,568,875 262,755 20.21 228.48 4.34 5,595,217 223,809 22.72 235.59 3.91 –3.02 Economy of scale (same number of personnel) Same number of personnel serving fewer users
Internal moves/churn 862,500 34,500 2.65 30.00 0.57 780,000 31,200 3.17 32.84 0.55 –8.65 Simple open plan with no subdivision More complex subdivision (less flexible)
Catering 4,485,200 179,408 13.80 156.01 2.96 4,030,530 161,221 16.37 169.71 2.82 –8.07 Economy of scale  
External landscaping 250,000 10,000 0.77 8.70 0.17 1,000,450 40,018 4.06 42.12 0.70 –79.36 Limited external works Complex external works
Internal planting 145,225 5,809 0.45 5.05 0.10 96,300 3,852 0.39 4.05 0.07 24.58 Greater number and size of plants  
Miscellaneous 1,672,225 66,889 5.15 58.16 1.10 1,203,750 48,150 4.89 50.68 0.84 14.76    
IT/communications                          
Land line rental 7,500,000 300,000 23.08 260.87 4.95 7,500,000 300,000 30.46 315.79 5.24 –17.39 Fixed overhead per site (economy of scale) Fixed overhead per site divided by fewer users
Central file servers 10,000,000 400,000 30.77 347.83 6.60 10,000,000 400,000 40.61 421.05 6.99 –17.39 Fixed overhead per site (economy of scale) Fixed overhead per site divided by fewer users
PCs 19,166,667 766,667 58.97 666.67 12.66 15,833,333 633,333 64.30 666.67 11.07 0.00 Proportional to users Proportional to users
Software and licences 4,312,500 172,500 13.27 150.00 2.85 3,562,500 142,500 14.47 150.00 2.49 0.00 Proportional to users Proportional to users
Premises management                          
Staff costs 5,170,825 206,833 15.91 179.85 3.42 4,125,000 165,000 16.75 173.68 2.88 3.55 Similar overhead per site (economy of scale) Similar overhead per site divided by fewer users
Other support 574,150 22,966 1.77 19.97 0.38 441,450 17,658 1.79 18.59 0.31 7.44 Similar overhead per site (economy of scale) Similar overhead per site divided by fewer users
                         
Total revenue 125,699,208 5,027,968 386.77 4372.15 83.02 123,084,890 4,923,396 499.84 5,182.52 86.06 –15.64    
Total capital and revenue costs 151,409,508 6,056,380 465.88 5266.42 100.00 143,016,101 5,720,644 580.78 6,021.73 100.00 –12.54