ScottishPowers successful entry into the new domestic gas market has created more than 100 permanent new jobs at the company's Customer Call Centre in Glasgow.

ScottishPower today (Friday) began a major advertising campaign to recruit staff to the team dealing with customers who want ScottishPower to supply them with gas when the market opens on 1 November.

At the same time the company is recruiting to strengthen its electricity customer service arm in preparation for the introduction of competition to the electricity marketplace next year.

An unusually high percentage of gas customers already contacted - one in three - have opted to sign up with ScottishPower, and the Customer Call Centre has experienced an increase of several thousand calls a week since the gas market was opened to competition last year.

The recruits will be responsible for ensuring a smooth changeover for ScottishPower's new gas customers. A key task will be to arrange a final meter reading with British Gas.

In recent months 40 additional staff have already been taken on at the Customer Call Centre, to help service the 80,000 customers ScottishPower gained in the south of England during the early stages of competition last year. This represents 10 per cent of the local market and was the largest slice won from British Gas by any new entrant.

The Customer Call Centre, which has 250 staff, is part of ScottishPower's new Customer Service Centre at Cathcart in Glasgow. Both were officially opened last year and together they represent a £15 million investment in state-of-the-art communication facilities which is allowing ScottishPower to provide a one-stop service across a full range of customer needs.

In addition ScottishPower is developing a combined billing system which will eventually mean a single account for customers who receive electricity and gas from the company.

Further Information:
ScottishPower Press Office   
Gordon Laidlaw or Colin McSeveny,                         0141 248 8200