BSkyB is shaking up its CRM strategy with the appointment of two firms to handle its customer communications, as part of plans to slash the number of outsourcing suppliers from nine to two.
With Sky providing television and home communications services to more than 10.5 million homes across the UK and Ireland, pressure is mounting on the business to prevent subscribers from deserting to pay-as-you-go services.
It is already conducting a review of its direct marketing agency arrangements.
The two outsourcing firms – Comet Global Consulting and HeroTSC – will handle inbound and outbound communications..
Customer interaction specialist Comet Global Consulting has worked for Sky since 2005, and secured a new two-year deal. It will provide bespoke CRM services, business intelligence, project management, and decision management consultancy.
As part of the agreement Comet now has more than 50 people working on the account in Barcelona, in addition to nearly 30 UK staff. The firm said it is “actively recruiting new staff and looking forward to becoming an even closer part of Sky’s team”.
Meanwhile, Sky has switched a major part of its contact centre business from Response to HeroTSC. The move could see up to 950 jobs go from Response, although many could transfer over as part of a TUPE agreement.
Headquartered in Larbert near Falkirk, HeroTSC employs about 4,500 people in the UK. Nearly 2,500 of these staff are in Scotland.
Created when the Indian-owned Hero conglomerate bought Telecom Service Centres, HeroTSC already does work for Sky in Derby, where it is ramping up its staff numbers to service the satellite broadcaster, and in Larbert and Greenock.
Response said in a statement: “In June 2011, Sky commenced a review of its outsourcing suppliers. The aim of this process was to move from nine current suppliers to two. Response was not successful in this process and, as a result, our relationship will end on April 15, 2012.”
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