Comcast Corp. will add 400 jobs at its customer service center in St. Paul next year, boosting its existing staff of 2,000 people in the Twin Cities, the company said Monday.
The move is part of a broader effort by the nation's largest cable and Internet service provider to repair its battered reputation for customer service.
The company, based in Philadelphia, earlier this fall announced it would add 5,500 people to its customer service staff nationwide. In the weeks since then, it has notified local offices and government officials of expansions, including in Knoxville, Tenn., and the Boston area.
Comcast also announced Monday it would lease more space in the 10 River Park Plaza complex, just across the Mississippi River from downtown St. Paul.
The company said it would apply for job creation incentives offered by the state of Minnesota. It is eligible for up to $1 million from the Minnesota Investment Fund and up to $400,000 from the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership, the Department of Employment and Economic Development said.
"We worked closely with Minnesota state and local government on an incentive appropriate for this project, and we sincerely appreciate their support," Comcast said in a statement.
The company's expansion announcement contained a congratulatory comment from Gov. Mark Dayton.
The cable industry, shaped by monopoly control in localities, for decades has been notorious for poor customer service. For Comcast, a turning point came last year when a video went viral of a customer who recorded himself trying to end a service contract with them. The phone call lasted for 20 minutes and illustrated the company's aggressive tactics to prevent cancellations.
