The UCMS Group was founded in 1995. Initially based in South Melbourne, UCMS developed its first contact centre to provide services to Telstra’s mobile telephony customers and dealers. At the same time, UCMS’ subsidiary company Martin Dawes Telecommunications was providing services to Vodafone’s mobile customers and dealers.
After this early success in the telecommunications sector, the UCMS Group began broadening its client base, providing services to a number of new clients including electricity retailers, infrastructure operators, technology resellers and providers of financial services. In 1998, UCMS began its long and proud association with Ambulance Service Victoria, managing its membership scheme.
Moving ahead
In 2001, UCMS expanded its service offering by acquiring a New Zealand systems integration business that became the basis of UCMSsolutions. The UCMSsolutions business provides services to a wide variety of customers in Australia and New Zealand.
Since then, the major area of expansion for the UCMS Group was in the growing financial services industry, with UCMS providing a variety of services to leading Australian and international banks, and other financial services companies.
Rapid expansion
In 2003, UCMS opened its second contact centre, a 550-seat facility based in Flinders Street, Melbourne. This immediately increased UCMS’ total capacity to over 1,500 seats.
This expansion allowed UCMS to strengthen its presence in the telecommunications industry by adding AAPT to its client base. The following year, UCMS began providing a range of services to Optus. In 2004, UCMS also began its relationship with Alinta, providing a range of customer contact and transaction processing services.
New strategic partnerships
Having identified opportunities in the Australian public sector, in 2004 UCMS entered into a long-term strategic partnership with Capita Consulting, part of the UK-based Capita Group. Since then, UCMS has been engaged by a number of local government authorities in New South Wales and Victoria to provide services and solutions. More recently, UCMS was selected as the shared services partner with the Local Government Association of Queensland.
A new beginning
In 2005 UCMS relocated its main operational site and regional headquarters to William Street in Melbourne’s CBD. In June 2007, UCMS commenced trading on the ASX under the code UMS. UCMS then went on to win the Australian Teleservices Association 2007 National Contact Centre of the Year award.
UCMS Group currently employs over 2,300 employees in Melbourne, New South Wales, Queensland and Auckland, New Zealand.