Call center offers translation services in 12 languages

SEATTLE — Washington state lawmakers representing the state’s most ethnically diverse legislative district in the state recently toured PCG Public Partnership’s Multi-Lingual Call Center, learning more about the variety of language services available to Washington state agencies.

“Helping people is at the core of public service. PCG believes our multi-cultural center could help better facilitate conversations between the state and its customers, clients, and employees in new and different ways,” said Phil Hill, customer service operations manager with PCG Public Partnerships.

During the tour, State Rep. Mia Gregerson, D-SeaTac, and Rep. Tina Orwall, D-Des Moines, had the opportunity to learn more about PCG’s work in Washington state, which includes 40 projects with a staff of more than 100 full-time employees. PCG primarily serves public sector education, health, and human services, in addition to state, county, and municipal government clients.

The call center currently employs 50 bilingual representatives, who offer translation services in 12 languages. All of the call center employees are required to be bilingual in one of the target languages, which include English, Russian, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Mandarin, Ukrainian, Korean, Somali, Cambodian, Arabic, Tagalog, and Lao. The center also has the capability of on-demand additional languages.  

PCG already provides technology and consulting services within Washington state’s K-12 community, collaborating with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, 186 individual school districts, two Educational Service Districts, seven charter schools and the School for the Deaf. Populations PCG serves include students with disabilities, English language learners, Section 504 students and Medicaid-eligible students and their families. In the time since the center first launched in 2015, the top non-English language calls include Russian (32,656 calls); Spanish (22,749); and Vietnamese (20,744).

“We believe this facility can play a vital role in helping the state better serve all of its customers,” added Hill. “We appreciated the opportunity to tour area legislators and share how we can perhaps help meet the needs of the state.”

State Rep. Mia Gregerson, D-SeaTac, and Multi-Lingual Call Center Supervisor Tawny Nguyen

State Rep. Tina Orwall, D-Des Moines, (center) is joined by (L to R) Tawny Nguyen, Multi-Lingual Call Center Supervisor II; Kristina Kovalevich, Call Center Supervisor I; Phil Hill, PCG Customer Service Operations Manager; May Salvo, Provider Management Supervisor; John Purnell PCG Senior Program Manager; and David O’Leary, PCG Senior Consultant of Education.

Media Contact:  

Christine Morelli
Public Consulting Group
617.717.1157
cmorelli@pcgus.com

About Public Consulting Group

Public Consulting Group, Inc. (PCG) is a leading public sector management consulting and operations improvement firm that partners with health, education, and human services agencies to improve lives. Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, PCG has nearly 2,000 professionals in more than 50 offices around the US, in Canada and Europe. Public Partnerships LLC, a PCG Company, offers fiscal intermediary and related administrative services to public agencies and participants seeking to develop participant-directed services and supports. Because participant direction programs can be statewide, regional, or county-based, Public Partnerships’ builds each program to meet the needs of each state, while satisfying the most current demands of the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and Internal Revenue Service. To learn more, visit http://www.publicconsultinggroup.com/consumerdoc/publicpartnerships.html.