By Lori Hawkins |
January 26, 2012
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Progressive Car Insurance plans to add 185 jobs in Austin as it expands its local claims and customer service operation.
The new positions will be in sales, service and claims at Progressive’s contact center, which is off East Ben White Boulevard.
The Austin hires are part of a national expansion for Progressive, which announced plans for a total of 1,100 new hires in customer service and sales. In addition to Austin, it’s adding 65 in Phoenix, 129 in Colorado Springs, Colo., 390 in Tampa, Fla. and 337 in Cleveland.
Progressive is the fourth-largest auto insurer in the nation, according to the company, which is a subsidiary of Progressive Corp., a Mayfield Village, Ohio-based holding company.
Progressive is also the fourth-largest auto insurer in Texas, with 8 percent of the market. The new positions in Austin will pay $12 to $15 per hour, said John Hoppes, national employment director.
Some of the positions are for people who speak both English and Spanish. Candidates must have at least two years of post-secondary education or two years’ work experience in a customer service environment.
The Austin center currently has 1,100 employees. In addition to handling the typical sales, customer service and claims calls, the center is the company’s main bilingual service facility.
Employees receive medical, dental and vision insurance. Other benefits at the Austin facility include on-site medical facilities for employees and their families, a fitness center with aerobics and other classes, quiet rooms for relaxation and meditation, performance bonuses and parenting resources including child-care subsidies and maternity services and tuition assistance.
“We love to hire in Austin and we want to make sure we’re the best employer in town,” Hoppes said. “We find that employees in Austin really have what we’re looking for. They have a real passion for great customer service, and it’s a great place for us to find bilingual employees.”
The company’s website, jobs.progressive.com, has information about the application process