Press release
25 May 2023
Venlo, The Netherlands
Viking insources customer service in the UK, creating 60 positions
Viking, one of Europe’s largest distributors of office supplies and equipment, has completed the onshoring of its customer service from South Africa to Leicester, UK, creating 60 jobs in the process. The Leicester-based customer service team will assist Viking’s customers in the UK and Ireland. It will complement the Viking customer service centre in Oldham.
Viking’s insourcing efforts underscore the company’s commitment to improve customer experience and overall performance as part of a turnaround plan started in 2022. Viking, which was acquired by the French-based RAJA Group in November 2021, is a multi-channel distributor serving small, medium-sized and large businesses in seven European countries.
“Viking’s customer service is now 100% based in the UK. We believe this will quickly make a significant impact on the quality of our service. Bringing this critical function back in-house is part of our efforts to deliver first-class customer experience”, said Simon Allan-Brooks, Managing Director for UK and Ireland.
In addition, Viking is strengthening its management team with two appointments:
- Peter d’Amery joins Viking as Sales Director UK and Ireland. With more than 20 years in strategic sales and marketing roles, including that of sales director of Office Depot, Peter will lead the sales function, focusing on growing the large and major customer portfolio.
- Julia Martin has been appointed Senior Manager Customer Service UK and Ireland. “Julia brings a strong commercial background. She has always put the customer at the centre of everything she does. Julia is responsible for delivering our ‘fanatical customer service’ ethos across the customer base and business,” said Simon Allan-Brooks.
The 60 new positions in Leicester include customer service representatives, team managers, quality specialists and trainers. Viking is looking for commercially minded customer service representatives to reinforce the team.
Viking employs about 1,500 people in Europe and generates more than €500m (£426m) in revenue.
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About Viking
As a leading expert in workplace solutions and products, Viking helps create great workspaces for everyone, everywhere.
Since 1960, we have been championing workplace transformation. Under the name Viking Direct in Europe, we first began assisting companies in their adjustment from paper to computer in 1990. Currently, Viking Europe operates in seven countries, employs over 1500 people with the European headquarter located in Venlo. Following our acquisition by the RAJA Group in November 2021, Europe’s leading distributor of packaging, and a major player in the office supplies and furniture market, we are even better suited for everything the future holds.
Media contact
Viking Europe Darina Koning-Admiraal, Sr Manager Communications Viking Europe Mob: +31(0)631004689 Email: darina.koningadmiraal@vikingoffice.eu Website: www.vikingoffice.eu