Accent Marketing Services, a call center, announced plans to lay off 425 workers after just opening their offices last year in Hot Springs. The company cites the decline in its customer base and customer service unit. Accent spokesperson Kelly Hilton said that the center would not shut down and that those employees still with the company should remain working until the layoffs take effect at the end of October. Hilton also added that they are offering pay-for-stay bonuses to the employees, encouraging them to stay through the transition period. According to Arkansas’ Department of Workforce Services, telemarketing and call center jobs have almost doubled from 2,778 in December of 2004 to more than 4,200 in 2007. Accent’s facility, located in Hot Springs, is the only call center in the area.