Powergen shuts India call centres

[thunderpuss2k]

From http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5083838.stm

 

Energy firm Powergen is to close its Indian call centres, with staff in the UK dealing with customers instead.

 

It said the move would create 450 new jobs by the end of the year and reduce the number of customer complaints.

 

 

Powergen began using call centres in India five years ago citing, like many other businesses, the financial benefits it brought.

But the firm said it was "not prepared to achieve savings at the risk or expense of customer satisfaction".

[pmhread]

Should think so too. Would take a bit more persuasion before I go back to them though.

[thunderpuss2k]

Should think so too. Would take a bit more persuasion before I go back to them though.

 

Don't even get me started on Powergen.. phoning up after leaving them to tell you your new supplier are criminals and a bunch of fraudsters (on more than one occasion) is an interesting sales technique. And that's just the tip of the iceberg..

[thunderpuss2k]

Hurrah ! someones seen sense...

 

have BT Broadband got an indian call centre too now ?

 

Think they might just have.. colleague of mine phoned them the other day. 1st call went.. 'Are you in India?' 'No, Scotland'.. gets put through to a Scottish sounding supervisor. 2nd call, he asked where the bloke was. 'In Scotland'. 'Whereabouts in Scotland', says my colleague. 'London', says the bloke. Dear me..

[installspark]

About ***** time.

 

[Rich44]

Hurrah, is there a list of companies that outsource to India anywhere so we can avoid the little beggars?

[installspark]

British Gas

BT

Capital One

Norwich Union

Abbey

The Trainline.com

 

To name but a few

[Rich44]

As far as the NU ones go theyre coming back to the UK too after many customer complaints, don't know if it's official yet but it is going to happen

 

(One of the seriously high up big wigs lives near us and he says its going to be done to woo customers back who left over having to talk to someone using a crib sheet who you could hardly understand)

 

So watch this space on NU

[benjee]

As far as the NU ones go theyre coming back to the UK too after many customer complaints, don't know if it's official yet but it is going to happen

 

(One of the seriously high up big wigs lives near us and he says its going to be done to woo customers back who left over having to talk to someone using a crib sheet who you could hardly understand)

 

So watch this space on NU

 

Interesting, NU are now adding RAC Direct to the outsourced list which will go live in June/July. Wish this big wig would hurry up and stop it happening! hehe.

[Rich44]

Next time I see them ill ask them about it, last I heard was that they weren't going to do this as its crazy trying to get an indian to understand where you are in the UK when you take accents into account.

 

I dont know whether the RAC side of it is still going ahead to be honest I really thought they had scrapped that plan after complaints, if it is going ahead its possible those jobs are going and the insurance ones are coming back.

 

Again having said that when I had to make a claim on our NU car insurance I didnt speak to an indian call centre so it is possible its just sales thats out there?

[ozzywizard]

Morethan insurance use India.

 

I work for Powergen and I can honestly say things have improved so much since they kicked em out. Seriously their is a huge mission going on to improve customer service and getting rid of inbound calls to India was just the first step.

Although with any company running call centre it just depends who you get through too. Good and bad advisors everywere.

 

I am one of the good ones that are on the customers side, I put myself in each customers shoes. Some though just dont give a damm.

[installspark]

Morethan insurance use India.

 

I work for Powergen and I can honestly say things have improved so much since they kicked em out. Seriously their is a huge mission going on to improve customer service and getting rid of inbound calls to India was just the first step.

Although with any company running call centre it just depends who you get through too. Good and bad advisors everywere.

 

I am one of the good ones that are on the customers side, I put myself in each customers shoes. Some though just dont give a damm.

 

 

You're in the ame club as me then. One of the few who give a damn about their job and the person on the other end of the phone.

[benjee]

You're in the same club as me then. One of the few who give a damn about their job and the person on the other end of the phone.

 

Totally agree with you here!

Recent press has announced NU Directs plans to shut the Liverpool contact centre with the loss of 321 jobs in October. UK staff are friendly, helpful and understand your needs. (tho fed up with dealing with mistakes from offshore centres) Where are these jobs going? - offshore and to Bishopbriggs, so at least some are staying in the UK but it doesnt help that offshore NU centres are now taking RAC Direct calls too.

 

I found that if you want a UK operator, try the NU Internet phone number - this will connect to Norwich, Scotland and Sheffield.

 

If only all Companies follow suit to Powergen!