US Cellular opens new call center

[Shizam76]

What was once sprint is now USCC....here in the Chicago area...Bolingbrook IL to be exact.


Herald News Article

"Call center back online
Bolingbrook opening: U.S. Cellular takes over Sprint site

By Bob Okon

STAFF WRITER


BOLINGBROOK — U.S. Cellular officially opened its Bolingbrook call center Monday, nine months after Sprint PCS vacated the building.

The number of workers at the call center is smaller — 140 compared to about 1,000 with Sprint PCS — but they are enthusiastic. And, U.S. Cellular says its staff will top 360 by the end of the year, reaching 450 by May 2006.

Employees and company executives kicked off the first official day of business with cheers and chants, songs and tears, and even confetti with a spirit that U.S. Cellular officials said is a reflection of the culture of the Chicago-based corporation.

"Bolingbrook has supplied the best combination of location, economics, and, I will say, what a wonderful talent pool," U.S. Cellular President and Chief Executive Officer John Rooney said to a group of workers, who applauded and shouted.

"Customers expect it and...," Rooney called out to the staff.

"...We deliver!" workers shouted back, completing a workplace cheer that managers said can be heard cried out throughout a work day at a U.S. Cellular call center.



Corporate culture



It was a different atmosphere in August when Sprint PCS exited the building on Crossroads Parkway near Illinois 53. Departing workers wondered where they could go next, and some were bitter about their experience with Sprint PCS, which closed only five years after opening the operation.

U.S. Cellular is a smaller company, but one that prides itself on customer service and a corporate culture that fosters motivated employees.

The Bolingbrook call center is the company's sixth. Others are in Oregon, Oklahoma, Iowa, Wisconsin and Tennessee. U.S. Cellular provides wireless phone services to more than five million customers in 25 states.

Rooney, talking about U.S. Cellular after the grand-opening party, described a business model that starts with "strong leadership. That will lead to motivated, satisfied workers. That will lead to satisfied customers. That will lead to business results."

The main call center room is painted in bright blue, red and yellow, designed to create a motivating atmosphere.

"All of our call center conference rooms are named after candy," said Trina Graham-Hodo, director of the call center. "There are great colors. It's really fun."

Graham-Hodo's office is a room with glass walls in the middle of the call center. Work space is arranged for teams of 12 associates taking calls assisted by a coach.

Associates start at more than $12 an hour with benefits that include health insurance and a 401(k) retirement plan. Graham-Hodo said the center will be hiring through October.



A welcome addition



Bolingbrook Mayor Roger Claar welcomed U.S. Cellular's move into the 100,000-square-foot facility, saying the operation rivals other new developments in town that have included construction of an Ikea store, plans for a new Marshall Field's, and a new hospital being built by Adventist Health System.

"Nothing was better than the announcement that U.S. Cellular was going to pick Bolingbrook for the call center," Claar said.

The state of Illinois provided incentives valued at $4 million for U.S. Cellular in its effort to draw another call center to the facility after Sprint PCS left.

"We want to invest in companies that invest in Illinois," said Jack Lavin, director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

Lavin was standing in for Gov. Rod Blagojevich who was scheduled to be at the event but did not attend. Lavin said the governor had "other pressing state business."


5/10/05

[agentHibby]

US Cellular must be growing

[MOTOhooligan]

How close is that to Glendale Heights?

[Shizam76]

Originally Posted by rancidhooligan

How close is that to Glendale Heights?

Depending on traffic....maybe a 10-15 minute drive? Right Up 55 to 355.

What is in Glendale Heights?

[MOTOhooligan]

Originally Posted by Shizam76

Depending on traffic....maybe a 10-15 minute drive? Right Up 55 to 355.

What is in Glendale Heights?

Universal Technical Institute , the auto mechanic school I'm going to next year. I'll probably be going to the one in Houston and my wife will (hopefully) work for Verizon so she can keep me informed on what's going down in the industry. I wanted to move to Glendale Heights but the cost of living was more expensive than Houston and tuition at the GH UTI was more than in Houston... I may be able to use the USC call center as yet another reason we should move to GH instead of Houston because I don't really want to live in Texas.

[Shizam76]

Originally Posted by rancidhooligan

Universal Technical Institute , the auto mechanic school I'm going to next year. I'll probably be going to the one in Houston and my wife will (hopefully) work for Verizon so she can keep me informed on what's going down in the industry. I wanted to move to Glendale Heights but the cost of living was more expensive than Houston and tuition at the GH UTI was more than in Houston... I may be able to use the USC call center as yet another reason we should move to GH instead of Houston because I don't really want to live in Texas.

Cool....rancidhooligan the mechanic by day, cell phone rep at night?
While the weather may be better in Houston....I think you'd have a better time here in the Chicagoland area...I think there is much more to do and see here as opposed to houston. Plus, Texas has tons of fire ants that just set up fort anywhere they dang please. My dad lived in Dallas for a year for work....back in like '87 or '88....and he had a fire ant colony move into his bedroom and set up mound....in like a day's time
They say the bite of a fire ant is like a bee sting. Uh Uh....no sir-ie....no sharing my space with fire ants will be happening.....ever.

The western suburbs (Glendale Heights is one of them....) are a bit pricy....some of them. You have cook county and DuPage county taxes....YUK. You should look into the Bolingbrook area (Will County) Lemont may be better financially....even Plainfield is a NICE area and probably cheaper than Glendale.....You just may have to drive a bit further.

[MOTOhooligan]

Originally Posted by Shizam76

Cool....rancidhooligan the mechanic by day, cell phone rep at night?
While the weather may be better in Houston....I think you'd have a better time here in the Chicagoland area

The western suburbs (Glendale Heights is one of them....) are a bit pricy....some of them. You have cook county and DuPage county taxes....YUK. You should look into the Bolingbrook area (Will County) Lemont may be better financially....even Plainfield is a NICE area and probably cheaper than Glendale.....You just may have to drive a bit further.

Actually, I'd be an automotive technical student by day and a stay at home dad in the afternoon and at night while my wife worked for USC... at least that's the plan. As far was weather I'd probably like Chicago better than Houston but my wife would like Houston better than Chicago. I hate hot weather and she hates cold weather.

Here are the pros/cons of the places I could move. For all intents and purposes, Chicago and Houston are equadistant from Manhattan, Kansas so that isn't a factor.

Houston
-Pros-
Verizon Call Center
Friends in the area
Right near 'da beach
Cost of living is similar to where I currently live
Lonestar Beer
-Cons-
4th Largest City in the US
Hot weather
No NHL hockey (they do have the Aeros of the AHL, though)
Crazy Texans
Very limited mass transit

Chicago
-Pros-
Lots of culture
Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)
Chicago Wolves (AHL)
Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field
Goose Island Beer
Getting to say, "The Chicagoland area" (awesome!)
Pretty good mass transit
Cool weather
USC Call Center
Chicago not in Texas
-Cons-
3rd Largest city in the US
Possibility of city-wide shutdown due to massive snowstorms
Chicago Blackhawks' record
Chicago Cubs' record
Hearing people say, "Da Bulls," or "Da Bears," in serious conversation.
Cost of living is more than Houston
Cost of school is more than Houston

Thanks for the tips on where to live, though. Even if I have to drive farther it would be better for cheaper rent, etc.

[Shizam76]

Well....let me know if you ever have questions about the area....been here a LONG time

[MOTOhooligan]

Originally Posted by Shizam76

Well....let me know if you ever have questions about the area....been here a LONG time

Cool. Chicago has always been one of my favorite cities, which is weird because except for a layover at Chicago-Midway many years ago, I've never been there. Perhaps it was watching Ferris Bueller's Day Off too many times as a kid? Don't know.

[Shizam76]

Originally Posted by rancidhooligan

Perhaps it was watching Ferris Bueller's Day Off too many times as a kid? Don't know.

That could do it! That was a good one...I've seen it many times