Research Now SSI Resumes Operations in Davao

Digital MR data and services provider Research Now SSI is resuming call center operations in Davao, Philippines, almost seven months after a fire in the NCCC Mall which housed its office killed 37 of the company's employees.

The fire broke out at a furniture and fabric store on the third floor of the mall, before engulfing the firm's southern Philippines CATI call center on the fourth floor. A fire safety worker also died in the blaze. According to an initial investigation, a number of fire safety failings may have contributed to the deaths and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) announced last month that 31 people will face criminal and administrative charges for the fire once it receives a recommendation from the Department of Justice. These will include eighteen officials of the mall, the Research Now SSI Philippines management, and AC Rockport Construction executives; and thirteen officials and personnel from the Davao City Office of the Building Official, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-Davao, and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA).

While planning to resume business operations in Davao, Research Now SSI has continued to provide call center services from its operation in Cebu City, Philippines as well as its other call centers in the US. The new location will initially accommodate approximately 300 telephone interviewers in addition to administrative staff, and the firm is contacting all former employees to reinstate and retrain them. When it needs to hire additional staff, the company will give priority to qualified family members of those who perished in the fire. Surviving employees received their salaries from the date of the fire until the end of February, and those who are re-hired will receive 100% of the salary that they would have earned after March 1st, once they have completed a month's service.

CEO Gary Laben comments: 'We are gratified to be resuming our call center operations in Davao and are very happy that many of our previous employees will be working with us again. We are committed to them and to the city, and look forward to more productive years in Davao'.

Web site: www.researchnow.com and www.surveysampling.com .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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