Department store Debenhams has put 230 staff at its Taunton contact centre into consultation as it outsources the function.

The retailer has taken the action in the face of rising enquiries from its growing multichannel customer base.  It said it expected call volumes to grow rapidly over the next three years.

Debenhams will outsource the contact centre operation to contractor Capita, which is based in Leeds.

The department store said the move had not been an easy decision and follows a strategic review into how to deal with increasing volumes of enquiries.   

Debenhams will offer all staff the opportunity to transfer across to Capita.