Comms-care to install headquarters in France

Comms-care to install headquarters in France


Support services firm claims French authorities are offering attractive incentives

UK support services firm Comms-care is in talks about setting up a European central office in France to support its growth on the continent.

Having already opened outposts in Madrid and Frankfurt this year, Comms-care claimed French authorities are vigorously courting it to set up shop in France.

Scott Yates, managing director of Comms-care, said: “We are in negotiations with the French government and will possibly make France our European headquarters because of the incentives it is offering.”

Yates said Comms-care has hit 100 per cent of its service level agreements in the first service review for its Spanish and German operations.

Its largest client in both countries, virtual network operator Vanco, found that Comms-care hit every fault call within the agreed four-hour time limit.

Although Comms-care’s original objective was to support UK resellers with clients in mainland Europe, Yates said the firm will begin targeting local channel firms.

“We have had a lot of success in Ireland as there were no channel services companies there. We are finding the same in Spain and Germany, where resellers’ only option is to use manufacturers’ support offerings,” he explained.

However, Steve Niven, sales director at rival Networks First, poured cold water on Comms-care’s overseas strategy.

“Europe is something that is in our minds, but it is such a big commitment. Every country has different cultures and practices,” he said.

“We estimate it would cost between £2m and £3m to set up a national maintenance business.

“On the basis of Comms-care’s size, I do not know how it can be looking to make the kind of investment it is talking about.”