WEBHELP, the call centre business which employs 3,000 people in Scotland, has won a £209 million contract to provide customer services for Shop Direct. Webhelp said it will support the digital retailer through traditional voice contact alongside webchat, email and social media channels.

David Turner, chief executive of Webhelp, said: “We’re excited to be working with one of the largest digital retailers in the UK, in what is a significant partnership for our business.”

Some 1,500 people who work in centres in England, Wales and South Africa will transfer to Webhelp under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) regulations. They currently work for Serco. In November Serco said it planned to dispose of the majority of its private sector outsourcing business to focus on public sector work.

Webhelp has its UK headquarters in Larbert. In April the company announced plans to create around 400 jobs at its centres in Dunoon and Kilmarnock amid increasing demand for its services from blue chip clients.