As published in Manufacturing & Construction News - July 1, 2019
Credit Adjustments Inc.’s new call center on the second floor of the Business Technology Center in Toledo
Credit Adjustments, Inc. (CAI), a faith-based call center and receivables management corporation, recently completed its second Toledo location, a 15,000 square foot renovation of the second floor of the Business Technology Center located on 13th Street.
Beilharz Architects and Rudolph Libbe Inc., of the Rudolph Libbe Group, the design/build contractor, led the renovation.
“This second Toledo location is a strong testament to our investment in this community,” said Michael Osborne, chairman of the board at CAI. “We want to positively impact the people here, bringing jobs and opportunities in nontraditional ways through partnerships and wraparound services. It is growth for our business, but more importantly, it is growth for this great city.”
According to Hayley Studer, chief mission officer for CAI, the organization outgrew its first call center on the third floor of ProMedica’s Ebeid Institute. This second call center will provide a workspace for an additional 200 CAI associates in addition to the current operations at the Ebeid Institute.
“As CAI looks to the future and continues to drive our business forward on a national level, growing in Toledo was a natural progression for our business,” said Studer.
When speaking of the decision to use the design/build method for the renovation, Studer noted that the basic bones of the office were in place.
“We just needed to create some walls and make the space functional for a call center. Having Rudolph Libbe Inc. involved in the design phase, as well as the build out, helped us rely on their expertise to make the most efficient use of the space and keep the renovation cost lower,” said Studer.
John MacGregor, project manager, Rudolph Libbe Inc., added, “CAI wanted a single point of contact for all things related to this fast-tracked project. Having Rudolph Libbe Inc. responsible for all design and construction issues made a smooth transition and ensured that CAI received the end product they needed, while having real-time cost estimates to know how they were tracking on the budget.”
Credit Adjustments Inc.’s new call center on the second floor
of the Business Technology Center in Toledo
According to Studer, this method helped CAI stay aligned from the beginning and helped keep costs down by minimizing change orders.
MacGregor added that if an unforeseen issue came up, Rudolph Libbe Inc. was there to work with Beilharz Architects and propose alternative solutions that would limit unforeseen costs and keep the project on track.
“The design/build process took a lot of the burden off CAI team members in making selections, coordinating design meetings, and having to make sure the contractor and the designer were on the same page. It freed up CAI to focus on their daily roles and responsibilities,” said MacGregor.
In terms of the layout of the facility, Studer explained that traditionally, call centers are in tight quarters with limited natural light and open space, but CAI wanted to offer its Contact Center associates an open, collaborative environment with plenty of windows for natural light. CAI also wanted a design that would allow the company to maximize the space and get the most efficient layout of workstations, noted Studer.
“The space layout allows for future growth within the building footprint and has all the technology requirements in place so that as CAI grows, the space can grow with them,” said MacGregor.
“The work was performed with a combination of Rudolph Libbe Inc. staff and subcontractors, the CAI facilities team, people receiving construction trades training through the Defiance Dream Center, and some volunteers. This project epitomized the collaboration amongst organizations that CAI strives to achieve and this project would not be possible without partnerships and community support,” said Studer.
CAI is currently hiring for open positions, with approximately 20 positions being added each month. According to Studer, JobsOhio has been instrumental in this undertaking by assisting CAI with additional marketing and recruiting resources.
“This expansion allows us to grow as a company and provide many more opportunities for those in the Toledo area,” said Studer. “We’ve been working with other agencies in the community to form new partnerships as we look at tapping into some new areas for recruiting. Utilizing existing resources, such as the call center training program through our partnership with Cherry Street Mission Ministries’ Life Revitalization Center, allows us to train candidates and create a pipeline for employment. This process has also given us the opportunity to provide additional wraparound services once employed. We hope the model we are working to create can become an example for other businesses to follow.”
“We enjoy being a part of the Toledo community and are looking forward to this expansion as the next step in our commitment to bring 500 jobs to the Toledo area,” said CAI president Lisa Bloomfield. “Investing in the communities we are a part of is what CAI is all about, and this new location allows us to expand our footprint.
Construction has also begun on CAI’s new headquarters and call center in Defiance, a modern, two-story workplace that will include an atrium and training and collaboration spaces. According to CAI, the building will be unique among call centers, with large windows that offer views of nearby wooded areas and make the most of natural light.
CAI has more than 385 staff with offices in Defiance and Toledo, and Manchester, New Hampshire, along with a developed network and several partnerships across the United States.