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Written by rosalind renshaw

Spicerhaart is on a recruitment drive to expand its call centre at its headquarters in Colchester.

A recruitment day is planned for tomorrow, targeting people interested in a career within estate agency.

Currently around 30 people work in the call centre, which is headed by Lesley Miller and handles both in-bound and out-bound calls.

A separate telephone operation led by Bobbi Dale acts as an extension of branches, answering calls seven days a week when staff are out of offices.

Both phone operations employ a number of apprentices and this month Spicerhaart won Apprenticeship Employer of the Year 2011 awarded by WS Training, East Anglia’s largest private provider of training.   
 
In the last four years, 35 employees from a wide range of departments within the company have completed their apprenticeship programmes at Spicerhaart.

Paul Smith, CEO, said: “As one of the UK’s most innovative estate agency groups, we are constantly looking at new ways of improving our service and we wholeheartedly endorse the principle of giving our staff the opportunity to develop and grow professionally through well-run and well-planned apprenticeship programmes.”
 

Comments

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    You learn as much by finding out what is bad as good, so working in the pit is not all bad, as long as you do rise above what you first see at Haart. Being part of the worst "Corpoarte" is nothing for any youngster to aspire to.

    • 17 February 2012 08:40 AM
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    @spartacus in the call center

    • 16 February 2012 17:44 PM
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    How many were in the call centre a year ago?

    Staff cut and supported by cheap kids.

    Wonder what spend they have with company making the awards???? OR perhaps goverment money used to fund the placements?

    • 16 February 2012 16:36 PM
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    @thedon

    did you start in the call centre or branch?

    • 16 February 2012 12:12 PM
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    @spartacus Ok so you may have heard a few horror stories but i used to work there and it gave me a good understanding of how house sales worked and i got a job in another company no problem i was 'taken seriously' and before you say it i didn't leave because i was unhappy i was earning plenty it was because i moved out of the area. you can earn decent money if your a good sales person.

    • 15 February 2012 18:07 PM
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    Might be a "step in" into the industry, I wonder if its the usual attractive basic of £12k....

    Off topic- Yes, yes its a sales role....but the low basic within the industry is a joke! I used to sell gym memberships and basic was about £16k at the time!

    Rant over.

    • 15 February 2012 17:55 PM
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    Lesley Miller exists, and she is .......

    http://blog.homes24.co.uk/suffolk/2011/10/colchester-is-coming-to-its-senses/

    • 15 February 2012 13:58 PM
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    Spicer Career Path.

    Trainee Negotiator
    Negotiator
    Senior Negotiator
    Sales Manager
    Valuations Manager
    Branch Manager
    Area Manager
    Regional Manager
    Director

    Or....... Wing it

    • 15 February 2012 13:42 PM
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    @thedon

    Ive never worked for spicer. Just speaking as an employer who has interveiwed a fair few of their trainee negs. Ive been shocked at what Ive heard from some of them.

    • 15 February 2012 13:03 PM
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    @spartacus i do agree with part of what you and HD say it would show initiative to walk into an agent and ask for advice but i think you sound like you used to work for them and had a bad experience. I hear there have been a few changes in the company in regard to progression hence them winning this award i can imagine they are a lot better now.

    • 15 February 2012 12:39 PM
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    @thedon

    What! thats even worse. Go and work in a call centre in the hope you one day might get to work as a trainee neg in branch?
    This is spicer! nothing is what it seems. For the record, type Lesley Miller into the ASA website for sh!ts and giggles.

    • 15 February 2012 12:20 PM
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    I agree with Spartacus here.

    If Estate agency is your choice, go in and ask for the director/manager directly with your CV and show that your willing.

    Unfortuantely many don't do this anymore, although I have employed some of by best trainees in the past this way, its also what I did as young naive pup many years ago, 18 years old and I didn't even own a suit, wore my dads trousers, shirt and heres rain mac, got the job though.

    • 15 February 2012 12:20 PM
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    Spicerhaart gets award for paying a whole load of gullible fools next to nothing for training in an industry where there is no recognised licensing.

    Seems legit to me!

    • 15 February 2012 12:06 PM
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    you would learn a damn sight more than someone who has never worked for an agent and a friend of mined works for one of haarts branches and he started in the call center so there is nothing to stop you moving into branch it is simply a foot on the ladder.

    • 15 February 2012 11:58 AM
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    and what agency experience is it you gain working in a call centre? This is a red herring for those that want a start in agency. For those that want a start in tele sales its ideal.

    • 15 February 2012 11:49 AM
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    @spartacus personally i think it is great to see an employer in any industry taking a positive step towards getting people in the UK to work and progress in a career. And anyway what do you mean they wont be taken seriously they will know more about the industry than someone with no experience at all and that could be the difference between getting a job in a branch or not

    • 15 February 2012 11:19 AM
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    Dont fall for this if you want a start in agency. Stick a suit on and go and talk to managers in a branch. Take it from me, when the time comes to move from spicer (which you will) no one will take you seriously. Agency is not about sitting in a call centre. If your going to do it, do it properly.

    • 15 February 2012 09:21 AM
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