JOPLIN, Mo. —

Joplin is still in the running for a Florida-based call center that would add 250 to 350 jobs to the economy, with a final decision partly in the hands of potential employees.



Cross Country Home Services put on an informational open house Monday at the Missouri Career Center in Joplin as part of a national search for the call center’s next location. Delena Burka, director of human resources with Cross Country, said the search is down to Joplin and two other cities that she would not identify. She said the company’s deadline for choosing a location is the end of October, and that the decision will be based on the labor market’s response to the open houses, what real estate is available and tax incentives for the business.



Burka said the community’s response was slow throughout the day Monday, but Cross Country is having another open house from 7:30 to 11 a.m. today at the Career Center, 730 S. Wall Ave.



Connie Castellanos, of Joplin, said she attended Monday’s open house because she was curious about the new business. Castellanos arrived in Joplin in 1985 and said she has watched the local business community grow over the years.



“Anything that brings in 350 jobs is a great thing for the community,” Castellanos said. “And the jobs coming in are the kind that you can feed your family on and make a future.”



Burka said the Joplin area is still a strong candidate for the call center because the Midwest has a healthy unemployment rate, unlike the tight south Florida market where the business is based. Cross Country is looking for existing buildings that can be remodeled to fit the company’s needs, Burka said, and the availability of real estate is another factor that makes Joplin attractive.



She said the company is looking at a space at Northpark Mall and one in a downtown shopping center.



Cross Country sells and services home warranties through inbound calls. The company has been in business for more than 25 years and has one other location in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.



The Joplin open house is looking for full- and part-time workers for the positions of “customer-care associates” who would answer calls from existing customers placing claims for home-warranty repairs and requests for other home-related services. The company also is looking for “service authorizers” with experience in heating and air conditioning, plumbing, electrical, appliances or insurance claim processing who would answer calls from service-repair companies diagnosing home-system repairs or replacements. The latter workers would provide work-repair approval or denial.



Connie Johnson, of Joplin, said she went to the open house to fill out an application because she is interested in inbound services. Johnson said that while Joplin has other call centers, the inbound-only Cross Country has something different to offer the community.



“I’m interested in this job because it’s inbound calling, not outbound sales,” Johnson said. “I’m just not a pressure person. I don’t like to pressure other people.”



In a three-county, employee-based Florida contest for the best places to work in Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, Cross Country placed eighth in the large-employer category, Burka said. The company has experienced 20 percent growth for the fourth year in a row, and at 350 employees, Cross Country is outgrowing its physical space in Florida, she said.



Burka said the company is family-owned, with employee profit-sharing plans. She said Cross Country tries to create a fun work atmosphere and encourages community involvement.



“It’s much more of a team culture,” Burka said. “Most call centers have a turnover rate of 38 to 50 percent. We average a rate of 3.2 percent.”





Whichever market the company chooses, Burka said Cross Country hopes to have the first group of employees going through the six- to eight-week training course while the building is being completed in April.



Melissa Dunson writes for The Joplin (Mo.) Globe.