Sky is significantly reducing its headcount in customer call centers, shedding 2,000 jobs as part of a major shift towards online and artificial intelligence-driven customer service. This restructuring will see the closure of call centers in Stockport, Sheffield, and Leeds. Two other centers, in Newcastle and Dunfermline, will experience scaled-back operations. The decision follows a customer survey involving 10,000 respondents. A significant majority expressed a preference for digital tools for everyday tasks such as bill payments and contract management.
While Sky acknowledges the importance of personal interaction for complex issues, the company anticipates a substantial decrease in call volume. The company projects a reduction from 25 million calls annually to approximately 17 million by 2029. This change is coupled with a multi-million pound investment in a state-of-the-art Livingston campus, establishing a Centre of Excellence for customer service.
A Sky spokesperson stated: “We’re transforming our business to deliver quicker, simpler, and more digital customer service. Our customers increasingly want choice, to speak to us on the phone when they need us most and the ease of managing everyday tasks digitally. “We’re investing in a new centre of excellence for customer service, alongside cutting-edge digital technology to make our service seamless, reliable, and available 24/7. This is about building a future-ready Sky that continues to put our customers and their needs first.”
This move follows January's announcement of 1,000 job cuts within Sky's dish installation business, attributed to the growing popularity of online services like Sky Stream and Sky Glass. Despite these changes, Sky maintains its position as the UK's least complained-about telecoms provider for 13 consecutive years, according to Ofcom.