Start a small team contact centre
Run a small team handling customer calls and enquiries for local businesses, paid per hour or per call.
- £5k-20k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
Official data
1,530 UK companies in this field, 38% registered in the last 2 years
SIC 82200 “Activities of call centres”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.
What it is
A small contact centre with a handful of agents working from a rented office. You take on contracts such as overflow calls, order lines, appointment booking and basic customer support for other businesses.
Your first three steps
- Pick a few types of client to target and price your service per agent hour against established providers
- Choose a cloud contact centre system and look at serviced or shared office space with good internet
- Win one pilot contract before hiring, then recruit and train agents to match the work
Who pays
Small and medium businesses, charities and online shops that want calls handled without hiring their own staff.
How it makes money
Contract fees charged per agent hour or per call handled. Your margin is the difference between what clients pay and your staff, premises and phone system costs.
Skills that help
- Recruiting and managing a small team
- Scheduling staff to match call volumes
- Selling services to business customers
- Quality checking calls and giving feedback
Watch out for
- UK GDPR and the ICO data protection fee, as you will handle client customers' personal data under a written contract
- Employment law, including minimum wage, holiday pay, pensions and employer's liability insurance once you hire
- Rules on recording calls and, for outbound work, TPS checks and Ofcom rules on nuisance calls
- Extra regulation if clients are in areas like finance or energy, so check with the relevant regulator
- Relying on one big client, which can leave you with empty seats if they leave
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: small team contact centre
Researched with live web search for United Kingdom: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a contact centre in the UK?
Our estimates suggest startup costs typically around £5,000 to £20,000, depending on your office, equipment and team size. Monthly revenue is typically around £4,000 to £16,000, depending on your contracts and call volumes.
What rules should I check before starting a contact centre?
Check UK GDPR and the ICO data protection fee, as you will handle client customers' personal data under a written contract. Also check employment law once you hire, rules on call recording, and TPS and Ofcom rules if you make outbound calls.
What skills and time does running a contact centre need?
Useful skills include recruiting and managing a small team, scheduling staff to match call volumes, selling to business customers, and quality checking calls. Our estimates suggest at least around 30 hours a week. Relying on one big client is a risk to plan for.
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Photo: Telesolutionscallcentr on Pixabay