An anonymous source writing for the Scripting News website reveals that Compaq Computer Corp outsources most of its telephone-based technical support to Sykes Enterprises Inc, a Tampa, Florida-based organization with 11,000 employees and 29 technical call centers – but tries very hard to keep the fact secret. Sykes employees are apparently under threat of termination for revealing to a customer that they are not really on the phone to Compaq.
Sykes was founded in 1997 but began focusing on IT Support services in 1993. It operates in the US, Europe, Africa and the Philippines, and since listing on Nasdaq in April 1996 has grown through a series of eight acquisitions. It says it plans to continue the growth trend. Scripting News is at http://www.scripting.com/.
