Singapore Airlines to Outsource its Reservations Call Centre

[globetrekker84]

This isn't welcome news...

Singapore Airlines plans to sack 56 call centre staff in Perth and Sydney in July, and a further 84 in Auckland, Los Angeles and Vancouver. It plans to rehire 20 staff for a new south-west pacific service centre, based in Sydney, which will be outsourced to a "third party" call centre.

Sydney Morning Herald
E-travel Blackboard

[TerryK]

Oh, no. SQ is getting bad influence from UA.

Well, at least it is still local, not India. I wonder what SQ would do with LAX call center? Not India, I hope.

[globetrekker84]

Well, at least it is still local, not India. I wonder what SQ would do with LAX call center? Not India, I hope.

It IS going to India.

From the SMH: The airline has warned staff not to discuss the matter, admitting it could face a public backlash over its decision to outsource its reservation call centre operations in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the US to India.

[KeithMEL]

No great loss as the Australian call centre is pretty poor anyway. I usually end up calling Singapore.
And I don't think SQ will face a political backlash as the article seems to have suggested - QF is doing the very same thing: call centre, maintenance, cabin crew - you name it.

[globetrekker84]

I just hope SQ doesn't use the same people as UA's ICC. Those people are so poorly trained that I don't know whether to be upset or just disappointed.

[YK@HKG]

Well...currently, whenever I call KrisFlyer, the voice is usually an Indian. I originally suspected they already outsourced it to India

[MAN Flyer]

BD outsourced DC to India about a year ago and after initial teething problems they seem to have got the hang of it now and it has improved.

Always a shame to hear about people losing their jobs though...

[zvezda]

BD outsourced DC to India about a year ago and after initial teething problems they seem to have got the hang of it now and it has improved.

I'm delighted with the results of BD's outsourcing of their call centre to India. It's now open twice as many hours per week and while I used to have to wait on hold for 20 to 30 minutes (often international long distance), the phone is now answered within one minute.