Gem was established in Belfast in 2000 following the identification of a global market opportunity for the provision of outsourced e-mail handling services.
It is now one of Europe's leading independent providers of outsourced contact centre services across e-mail, telephone, SMS, live chat and whitemail in 29 languages.
Since inception the business has increased to include more than 1,000 employees in Northern Ireland with two offices in Belfast and one in Derry. Other satellite offices are in Dubai, Prague, Istanbul, Moscow and Athens. Gem is recognised nationally and internationally as a leading developer of best practices in contact centres. In 2006 its revenues were £13.2 million with strong forecasts for 2007.
Products/services:
When founded, Gem was originally designed to fill a gap in the market for the provision of an outsourced e-mail handling service - essentially an e-mail "call centre". Since then, the company has expanded to provide services including customer care, technical support and sales and back office processing.
Customers:
Exports account for 98 per cent of Gem's business, which includes 38 per cent to the United States, 38 per cent to the United Kingdom and 15 per cent to mainland Europe. With a client base focused on media, e-commerce, travel, hi-tech and government sectors, current customers include Cisco Systems, Expedia, Microsoft, Play.com and Channel 4.
Q:What vision prompted you to start up in business?
A:Having been brought up in a family-owned business, I have always had a strong desire to create something. Before forming Gem, I found myself in a company that was becoming increasingly centralised, with the management team prevented from managing the business, so I saw this as the ideal time to start working towards my vision of generating significant local employment and having an opportunity to see the real rewards of my efforts and ideas.
Q:What is your biggest business achievement?
A:My biggest business achievement has been Gem reaching the 1,000 employee level after only seven years of existence.
Q:What is the biggest challenge facing your industry?
A:I see the biggest challenge - and at the same time, biggest opportunity - as being globalisation. I am very aware of the strength of emerging regions such as India and China in our marketplace.
I feel it is key to embrace the changing nature of the market and continue to develop new and innovative solutions that are complimentary, rather than competitive to those in other regions.
