Call center to bring as many as 150 jobs to Rapid City

“We executed our search for a new call center location at a very difficult time,” Bob Bedford, COO of SatCom Marketing, said in a new release. “Between COVID-19 and the rioting occurring around the country, we needed to find a location where these issues were minimized and had a stable business climate and workforce. South Dakota and Rapid City are just what we were looking for. Well-educated, hard-working people, reasonable taxes, a low cost of living and a business climate that appreciates the jobs we bring to the area. We feel like Rapid City is the perfect location for us.”

Elevate Rapid City worked with SatCom Marketing for about two months to help the company find its 8,000 square feet of space in the Vast building at 809 Deadwood Avenue.

“We are excited to welcome SatCom Marketing to the community and the timing couldn’t be better,” Elevate President and CEO Tom Johnson said. “They are bringing jobs to the area as we work to recover from the effects of COVID-19. These are the kind of jobs that will help our entry-level workforce earn higher wages. The company pays above average wages for their industry and above average wages for hundreds of workers in the area who are still struggling because of the lingering pandemic. Our mission is not just tech jobs. We are here to Elevate the region for all, including our emerging workforce.”

Elevate Rapid City also leveraged the EPIC program to provide market research for SatCom.

“The team at Elevate has been a great resource for us throughout the process,” Bedford said. “They were much more than just a source of information, they were a true partner that worked hard to make sure our new location would meet our needs at SatCom Marketing as well as the needs of the people of Rapid City.”

SatCom Marketing’s entry-level positions will start at $13 an hour plus earned commission to average $14 to $18 per hour, plus benefits.

“While our focus is always on production and meeting our clients’ business goals, we work well with our employees for flexible scheduling and incentives that matter to them,” said Bedford, adding that 51% of Minnesota-based sales agents have an average of 5 to 9 years of employment with the company.

Josephine Simmons, senior director of Human Resources at SatCom, said sales agent entry positions have been posted and the hiring process will likely begin next week following the arrival of the senior operations manager.

“Our furniture for cubicles is coming next week, so hopefully she has a desk and chair,” Simmons said.

She said the senior operations manager will be the first to review the applications and do face-to-face interviews.