Swisscom customers who have a problem and need phone support will be connected to Kosovo from next spring – at least in part. The telecommunications group, which is majority owned by the federal government, is outsourcing 45 call center jobs to the Balkan state.
“We will be testing a junior pilot in Kosovo starting in the spring of 2022,” Swisscom spokesperson Seb Huber confirmed a “20-minute” interview message to SonntagsBlick.
Huber says the relocation will not affect its own employees, but rather the employees of a long-term external partner in Switzerland. The work that has already been outsourced will already be taken over by the partner company today. This happened so far in Switzerland, in the future in Kosovo.
Swisscom Quality Made in Kosovo
The telecommunications giant stresses that “proven Swisscom quality” will be maintained despite the transfer. Of course all 45 call center employees in Kosovo will speak German.
In addition, the company reports that it has a total of more than 2,000 call centers, about half of which are internal, and the other half are external. “After the beta, which will run until the end of 2022, Swisscom will decide whether and how things will continue with the offshore call center location.”
Either way, this isn’t the first time Swisscom has offered business opportunities abroad. In 2019, it established a development center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and another in the Latvian capital Riga in 2020.
The Federal Council is responsible
At least against this backdrop, Syndicom expects Swisscom to make a clear commitment to Switzerland as a trading site. “In recent years, Swisscom has responded to lower prices with linear cost reductions in terms of staffing and downsizing,” says union secretary in charge, Daniel Hughley. This has increased pressure on the remaining employees and could affect the health of employees.
“That’s why we need relief measures on the part of employees, especially in terms of working hours, to ensure quality and stability,” Hooghly added. The Federal Council is also responsible for this through the owner’s strategy.
Sursilva replaces Pristina
And parliamentarians in Bern have little joy in Swisscom’s plans for Kosovo. “A company that is close to the federal government has a certain obligation to Switzerland,” says National Counsel Martin Candina (41, center). Bündner is convinced: “If Swisscom finds suitable call center staff in Kosovo, it will also find them in Surselva, Upper Valais or Toggenburg. That would be a reasonable promotion of the site.”
Michael Tonje (54 years, Greens), head of the Transport and Communications Committee, is also skeptical: “The committee will discuss the strategic objectives of Swisscom on October 25. There we will certainly ask the owner what he thinks of this outsourcing. ” Depending on the discussion, the strategic objectives in this area need to be modified.
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