Foxtel sacks more than 100 staff as it implements ‘Command Centre’ project
Foxtel has axed more than 100 staff position amid a major round of redundancies as the pay-TV operator looks to streamline its customer services, Mumbrella can reveal.
The company refused to be drawn on the detail of the changes but it is understood that more than 100 jobs have been eliminated or outsourced, with the call centres at Robina and Moonee Ponds, at the centre of a change to what it calling the “Command Centre” project.
It is also understood that many of the redundancies have been on front end services, with a major shake up at the the pay-TV installation companies, including Downer and IGSM, who will be losing their pre-call teams as the company moves to what its management has described as “different way of working together that will mean a more consistent and efficient approach to field operations and an enhanced in-home experience for our customers.”
Buscema’s email to staff introducing the Command Centre project. Click to enlarge.
In an email to staff, Vince Buscema, director of customer installations and supply chains at Foxtel promised the new “Command Centre” project would help streamline operations and installations of Foxtel.
This would include “a new system that will schedule Technicians where they are needed according to their location, maximising on the job time and minimising travel time” and more centralised call call centre operations.
Buscema’s email to staff makes no mention of redundancies.
A spokesman for Foxtel confirmed the redundancies but declined to be drawn on the detail.
“Like any business, Foxtel has to make choices about resource allocation to fulfil its strategy,” said a Foxtel spokesman.
“Unfortunately, at this time this requires a reduction in staff numbers in order to free up resources.”
According to Foxtel’s company profile the pay-TV operator employees more than 2,800 staff.
Nic Christensen
Email to staff from Buscema:
Hi team,
I hope you had a great Christmas and New Year, and are ready and refreshed for a big year!
As I mentioned in my last message, 2016 is set to be a game changer, with Foxtel’s commitment to provide the best customer experience at the heart of everything we do.
By now, your manager should have briefed you on Foxtel’s Command Centre project, a major focus for 2016. If you haven’t yet been briefed you should hear more from your manager very soon. The Command Centre will be a different way of working together that will mean a more consistent and efficient approach to field operations and an enhanced in-home experience for our customers.
We see the Command Centre taking shape through four pieces of work:
A new operating model
Better, more efficient and automated processes that will improve the in-home customer experience while improving work flow for Technicians.
Workforce Scheduling Systems
A new system that will schedule Technicians where they are needed according to their location, maximising on the job time and minimising travel time.
Technician Inventory Management
A better inventory collection and returns process that requires less travel time and better flexibility. A one-stop-shop for all your installation requirements at competitive prices.
Central Customer Contact
A streamlined approach to customer communications, making things simple for customers.
We have already kicked off a small Inventory Management pilot in Parramatta in NSW and Geelong in Vic to test new ordering and pick up processes, and I’ll share more about this pilot once it’s a bit further along, but check out the pictures below of our first briefing.
The Command Centre project promises to be an exciting one, with lots of opportunities to drive business improvement through simplification of processes and improved systems.
You’ll be hearing more about the Command Centre in coming weeks via Director’s Cut and I’ve made a commitment to provide an update on our progress monthly.
If you have any questions, feel free to send an email to internal.comms@foxtel.com.au otherwise have a chat to your Leaders, who have all been briefed on the Command Centre.
Until next month!
Vince.
I have only called Foxtel a handful of times over the past decade but the call centre staff and service have always been excellent. Foxtel has one of the best call centres in Australia. Happy staff and a casual but professional attitude. “A reduction in staff numbers to free up other resources” sounds a lot like “sacking staff to increase profits”. Pay TV customers often have complex issues that want sorted and if these call centres are moved overseas (I know that some of Foxtel’s call centres are already located in Asia – you can tell as the staff at these centres try to solve your problem with a script and if you don’t fit the script expect a look phone call) then calling 131 999 is going to end in tears and frustration rather than a smile. I have nothing against overseas call centres but they are not optimal when a customer has a complicated problem to do with billing, technical issues or a question about the content of a subscription package.
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I’ve had the complete opposite experience, it’s almost impossible to get onto an actual person if there’s a problem (upgrades or orders that’s an entirely different story of course) so when I read the way to better customer service is to fire more people, I’m a more than a little dubious.
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shamed they’re owned by an American asshole who pays no tax but sees fit to use all his platforms to prop up right wing extremism.
Australians need to remember who they are and teach him a good lesson.
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Hey @pugwash, never let the facts get in the way of a good rant. Foxtel is a joint venture between Telstra and News Corp.
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The last days of the empire as streaming services and cheap VPNs blowup the business model.
Pass me the popcorn.
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It has certainly started. Fox introduced a 12 month pilot last year of having their own in house technicians similar to a UK bskyb model. It failed miserably due too no cohesion within internal Foxtel departments. Work was consistently being given to sub contractors instead of their own staff. Own staff set a benchmark of customer service, completion rates and OHS, this wasn’t good enough according to the ex Telstra bean counter mentioned in the original topic. The in house technician pilot is now redundant, 120 call centre jobs gone from Robina QLD office, 60 plus from Melbourne, more to come from Sydney. Call centre works offshored too South Africa despite CEO claiming no offshoring. May it come back and bite them.
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This does not surprise me with their Exec Director, who is only there for self gain, this is why they are called the terminator!!
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6 jobs for around 100 people to apply for in Robina. Staff who have been with the company for 15+ years shown the door. No loyalties. Jobs sent to South Africa. Absolute disgrace. Foxtel said that all off shore would come back to Australia. Lies, Lies, Lies. Don’t sign up for Foxtel. And if you have Foxtel Cancel, Cancel, Cancel.
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Bump
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The bigs boys are at it again filling their pockets stamping on the working class only to shatter their life’s and dreams. Big boys receiving bonuses for putting others life’s and way of living on hold. SHAME SHAME
NOT VERY AUSTRALIAN NOT HAPPY JAN!!!
Cut your salary’s and bonuses big boys and then may be sacking staff would not be on the agenda. No need to sack people to give their jobs to those over seas because it’s cheaper.
Sacrifice some of your pen pushing, finger pointing pocket filling and caffeine filled rolls big boys and have a heart. Get back to reality and be Australian. Keep the working class people of all Australian Nationalities on the work force – if it wasn’t for them there would be no need for you to begin with, ironically really big boys you would have no job, sacked even, redundant maybe and defiantly live shattering OMGosh what you going to do now life on hold.
Final message to all of you BIG BOY on behave of the WORKING CLASS PEOPLE
KARMA – Has such a wonderful way of sorting events out
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It has started, the call centre at South Africa are taking inbound and outbound calls. The amount of money that Foxtel will save by paying The call centre in South Africa compared to the call centre in Australia is massive. These people who were made redundant were on good incomes with (some) in high commission rates, they also needed to hit aggressive targets which were also met, so it wasn’t like they didn’t work hard. Look forward Foxtel customers, you will now be speaking to first source India -basic tech and Durban South Africa – customer service, social media and upgrades, sales and soon to be retention. This bull crap letter about improving customer experience haha what a joke. Better technician times ?? They are pushing for self install kits so they don’t have to send a technician out now. Don’t believe a word they say with this letter. Rant over. Foxtel eyes and ears everywhere !!
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I previously worked for Austar which was taken over by Foxtel a couple of years ago and I remember being in ameeting and being told by Richard Freudenstein that the overseas call centres in India and the Phillipines which Foxtel and Austar used would be ending when the current contracts ran out and all calls would be handled by Australia based staff I guess he got confused when he signed up a call centre in SA he may have thought it was South Australia and not South Africa.
At the time of the merger we were told all the usual good things that would come from the merger and I am sure there have been some good things but from what I hear from people that still work there a lot of things have changed for the worse.
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Business be business
This is not a new story, and wont be the final type of cull
Sucks, yes. But thats the world we live in.
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I heard another 100 jobs to go this week at Foxtel….any news on the job losses to offshore, what and why Mumbrella? Further financial pressures for Foxtel?certainly continued erosion of any type of decent service for premium paying customers like me
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Thanks Evil Hettie, Foxtel have confirmed there are to be call centre job cuts but it appears they aren’t being offshored. Our story is here.
https://mumbrella.com.au/foxtel-make-layoffs-call-centres-compete-global-counterparts-503863
Regards,
Paul Wallbank
News Editor
Due to the closure of the Foxtel loyalty team(retention team) about 85% of Foxtel staff in call centres are now based off shore in Phillipines and South Africa. The loyalty team in Moonee ponds were told their positions are going to South Africa in Durban.
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