beCogent is creating 350 new jobs at its Erskine call centre

The firm currently employs 1,800 staff and has three call centres sited in Airdrie, Kilmarnock and Erskine.

Founded in 1999, beCogent has become one of Scotland's largest call centre employers, providing services for companies like Argos and NTL/Telewest.

The announcement comes after Norwich Union said 4,000 call centre jobs, including 450 in Scotland, would go.

Executive chairman and founder of beCogent Dermot Jenkinson said the jobs boost was a result of growing customer demand.

For every company offshoring, there's a company returning to the UK Founder of beCogent, Dermot Jenkinson

He said: "Many companies are now making a virtue of the fact that their customer contact is handled in the UK as it demonstrates that they are responding directly to what their customers want.

"The rapid growth of the British call centre industry, and massive investment in training and development, has bred a rich pool of highly skilled customer service operatives.

"For every company offshoring, there's a company returning to the UK, the true test that service levels provided here are unrivalled and the business benefits significant."

The company, which is supported by Scottish Enterprise, was recently named Employer of the Year at the Orange National Business Awards for Scotland.