THE art of conversation is far from dead, according to a Bury-based telecommunications company.

Pennine Telecom has appointed Sylvia Hills as its customer training and development officer to provide telephone technique and systems training for the business community.

The company, based in Salford Street, Bury, will offer workshops in areas such as effective telephone use, using the telephone as a marketing tool, telephonist and receptionist training, and telephone selling.

Mrs Hills, aged 43, who once worked as a receptionist, said: "We aim to ensure that those firms we train can give their customers the best possible service.

"We believe that the call centre boom is just beginning and many thousands of jobs will be created in the area of dealing with customers over the phone."

The training sessions will be held at either Pennine's HQ or on the client's own premises.

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