Vodafone NZ abandons Egyptian contact centre, brings jobs home
Vodafone is creating 125 new jobs as it shifts its Egyptian contact centre back home, the company said today.
In the wake of Egyptian unrest during January, which saw call centre staff sent home and delays for some NZ customers covered by the mid east operation, Vodafone said it was committed to offshoring.
The only offshore contact centre Vodafone had in Egypt had been dealing with consumer calls since 2007 but will shift back to New Zealand in May, the release said, which director of service Kelly Moore said was to meet changing needs of customers, citing a customer desire for a "consistent" experience across both mobile and fixed contact centres.
"Consolidating our customer management in New Zealand enables us to do that."
Vodafone's three other contact centres are New Zealand based, and the 125 new staff will join the existing 500 member contact centre in Auckland, a boost of 30% that Moore said will allow staff a greater range of career options.
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Comments and questions24
Wow - this is really great news. But I don't buy Vodafone's Official stance for one minute.
Here is what they say in a bit more detail:
http://forum.vodafone.co.nz/topic/7596-125-new-jobs-created-as-vodafone-brings-its-contact-centre-home/
"With more and more customers now having their mobile and fixed telecommunications with Vodafone, they want a consistent experience across both our mobile and fixed contact centres. Consolidating our customer management in New Zealand enables us to do that."
The 125 new staff will join the 500-strong existing contact centre team in Auckland answering customer enquiries through a variety of channels. Moore says boosting the team by around 30 percent will allow them to offer a greater range of career options for their staff.
"We'll now have greater opportunity to move people around within the team and build their skillsets across a range of different products and services.
Moore says this is a direct response to changing New Zealand customer needs. It is part of a series of changes by Vodafone to get closer to customers and work towards its vision of becoming the number one telecommunications provider in New Zealand."
I think - Vodafone were forced into this decision due to the events that took place in Egypt recently, only they won't admit it of course!!
Ever since the CSR Services were moved to Egypt MANY customers complained - a lot - & Vodafone basically ignored this (due to cost savings) but the quality of "Customer Service" took a seriously major hit.
Hopefully we will see that improve again over the upcoming months, years & this is certainly a major positive step in that direction.
It.s about time Vodafone offered a better service to its customers through more cellphone towers. Areas of the country close to the cities still can't get reception if there's anything in the nature of hills nearby, although Telecom has coverage in these areas.
Nothing at all has been done to match this by Vodafone and those of us have been waiting for a decade or more for some more action from Vodafone are getting fed up.
What area do you live??
Both Vodafone & Telecom advertise 97% coverage of "where NZer's live, work & play" - this is NOT based on land coverage - in fact it works to be around 40% land coverage on Vodafone at least.
Both Networks - do not mirror the other - I can show you many areas where there is no Telecom coverage & great Vodafone coverage as well.
I suggest you read this thread - new coverage is coming out all the time:
http://forum.vodafone.co.nz/topic/140-new-coverage/
A number of new sites have also gone live recently, but not yet added to the site. Just outside of Cambridge, in the Waikato, New Market Fly Over in Auckland & Parnell end of Broadway in New Market, Auckland.
yeah lets read a thread on a vodafone forum - that'll be balanced and neutral without any bias. Hope your empoloyer (vodafone) is paying you well for your (abysmal) PR skills
Much to your surprise, I don't work for Vodafone, I'm just a happy customer.
So tell us - how is your employer Telecon treating you?? :-)
yep your reply had a real ring of sincereity to it that any NBR reader with any intelligence is going laugh at
OMG - get over the bridge!
I don't work for Vodafone - why can't you just accept the facts here??
Back on topic - 125 more jobs for New Zealander's is a great!! Better than none at all!!
Switch back to Telecom them. They have great coverage and higher bandwidth speeds. Particularly for devices such as iPads
@the rain girl
That is exactly why Vodafone has done nothing for you, if you are still a customer after decades, and still with them, why would they change the way they do things?
Obviously, its not too much of a hinderance, otherwise you would change to 2degrees or Telecom
lol - what a balls up - gotta make it sound positive somehow
For once,I have something postive to say about Vodafone. They are working with me to find out why their signal is poor in the Eastern Bays. No improvement yet, but at least they make an effort to check.
I do wish 018 would come home, though. The conflict of accents ,,,,,,
As a former employee of VFNZ I can assure that I had received more compliments than complaints in regards to the service received from former colleagues at the Egypt contact centre. It is good to see jobs come home though.
People need to wake up and smell the roses. Its creating more jobs in NZ. Which at such a time as this are in desperate shortage! Dont you love how people can complain about anything. Even if its creating more jobs for NZ'ers!
Mmm if Telstraclear did the same thing that would be even better news. After a straightforward moving disaster from one side of Auckland to the other it would have been so useful if offshore customer service people had any understanding of geography and could communicate effectively.
FANTASTIC...that job opportunities are coming back to NZ. If only more firms could follow suit then maybe we can climb our way out of the mire we are in. Government just needs to get its act together and install some tough love into the bureaucracy, prune cost massively, deal with the crims, welfare bludgers, suck it to the Maoris, etc etc. and then we will make headway
I was with vodafone but got sick of the crap service abysmal coverage and arrogant attitude - Shifting their call centre to NZ is a little too little a lot too late - thank goodness for real competition
I encourage disgruntled customers to investigate xt and 2degrees - the difference is startling!
It should be noted that 2degrees has never used overseas call centres... All NZ all the time...
I wonder how long that will last......
I bet once 2D get enough customers, they will outsource their Call Centre.
^^ lol who is this nut case....some kind of vodafone hater or a 2degree worker?
sorry that wasnt meant for G...but @anon!
Too little too late - Vodafone messed me around one time too many and I left. Thank goodness for choice and competition
Too little too late - Vodafone messed me around one time too many and I left. Thank goodness for choice and competition
ha! i secured one of those 125 positions...sweeet!
thanks for help