Qualfon

Having more than a thousand coworkers might seem a bit out of the norm in North Idaho, but doubling that number is the goal of Qualfon, one of Kootenai County’s largest employers. The inbound call center and business process outsourcing (BPO) company acquired a contact center company with four locations the area. Since May, they have hired dozens of locals and plan on bringing hundreds of more jobs in the coming months. “We have two goals within our company mission: to be the best company we can be and to make both our customers’ and employees’ lives better,” said Regional Recruiting Manager Lindy Bryant.

Qualfon is a global provider of outsourced contact center services and back-office processing, and it represents huge international brands. Call center agents take inbound calls and work in many fields including sales, customer service, and technical support. When you imagine a call center, bright colors, a jovial atmosphere, activities clubs, and a ‘wear your favorite jersey to work day’ might not immediately come to mind. But these are just a few of the things that make these Qualfon centers unique and fun work environments.

“I really feel I have the greatest job in the world,” said Activities Coordinator Lisa Nicholson. “My entire job revolves around people having fun at work.”

Nicholson often swings through the office handing out freeze pops, cookies, or other treats and is always listening to employees’ suggestions as to what would make their job more fun and enjoyable. “We’ve started walking, cooking, and Zumba® clubs, and Johnson Automotive in Hayden even runs a ‘bonehead automotive’ course for our employees who want to learn about basic vehicle maintenance and repair.”

“The Qualfon’s FunClubs are run by employees. We just sponsor them and help get them going,” adds site director Graham Johnson. And it’s not just the employees that Qualfon is looking to help; it’s the community as well. Qualfon partners with the United Way, Red Cross, and local colleges, as well as Fresh Start, giving job training to individuals with disabilities.

A recent blood drive was a big success, as was a recent food drive when employees donated 350 pounds of food. They also helped 245 local kids when each of them received a backpack full of school supplies that their parents might not otherwise have been able to afford.

Qualfon recognizes that it primarily offers entry-level positions for new employees, but they also offer the ability to move up within the company. In fact, at least 80% of leadership personnel have been promoted from entry-level positions. “I anticipated being here for about a year,” recalls assistant recruiter Anna Tholke. “I’m still here because they are a people-centric company and worked around my home schedule. I quickly became a mentor and am now a recruiter.”

With four centers in Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls, Hayden, and Liberty Lake, Qualfon is currently hiring and has the capacity to create more job opportunities and to positively impact more lives. “We look for two characteristics in potential employees -- a positive attitude and a strong work ethic,” said Bryant. “If you have those qualities, we can train you to succeed and grow with your career.”

Plan on seeing Qualfon’s name around town more and more. In addition to growing into one of the area’s largest employers, their goal is to also improve the community by partnering with as many organizations as they can. For employment information visit www.qualfonjobs.com or to learn more go to www.qualfon.com.

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