By SCBIZ Staff

AIKEN -- A new customer service center will open in Aiken, creating 100 jobs and bringing a $3 million investment to the region. Veracity Payment Solutions announced Thursday it is establishing a customer service center in the former Belk at Kalmia Plaza during the first quarter of 2008.

Based out of Atlanta, Veracity has its operations facility in Aiken and serves the merchant community, trade associations, community banks and merchant level sales agents with payment processing and information services. The new customer service center will start with about one-third of the available space (13,000 square feet) with intentions to grow into the entire building over time. Veracity currently has temporary office space in the same shopping center.

“With the benefits of the readySC training program and the availability to access a highly capable work force due to the emerging retirement populations and secondary educational systems here in Aiken, this area is a perfect fit for Veracity,” said Stephanie Sharp, chief financial officer for Veracity. “We look forward to a building a strong community relationship with Aiken and world-class call center.”

The state’s worker training program, readySC, has been nationally recognized for its ability to offer customized training for businesses and was ranked fourth in the nation by Expansion Management magazine.