Swisscom customers who have a problem and need telephone support will be connected to Kosovo from next spring – at least partially. The telecommunications group, which is majority owned by the federal government, is outsourcing 45 call center jobs to the Balkan state.
Swisscom spokesman Sepp Huber confirmed a corresponding message of “20 minutes” to SonntagsBlick: “We will be testing a small-scale pilot in Kosovo from spring 2022.”
Huber says that the relocation will not affect its own employees, but rather employees of a long-term outsourcing partner in Switzerland. The outsourced work would already be taken over by the partner company today. So far this has happened in Switzerland, in the future in Kosovo.
“Swisscom quality” made in Kosovo
The telecommunications giant emphasizes that the “proven Swisscom quality” will be retained despite the relocation. The 45 call center employees in Kosovo would of course all speak German.
In addition, the company points out that it has a total of over 2,000 call center positions, around half of them internal, the other half external. “After the pilot, which will last until the end of 2022, Swisscom will decide whether and how things will continue with a call center location abroad.”
Either way, it is not the first time that Swisscom has created jobs abroad. In 2019 she set up a development center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and another one in the Latvian capital Riga in 2020.
The Federal Council is responsible
Not least against this background, the Syndicom union expects Swisscom to make a clear commitment to Switzerland as a business location. “In recent years, Swisscom has reacted to falling prices with linear cost reductions in terms of staff and downsizing,” says the trade union secretary responsible, Daniel Hügli. This has further increased the pressure on the remaining staff and could affect the health of the employees.
“That is why we need relief measures on the part of the staff, especially with regard to working hours, so that quality and stability can be ensured,” added Hügli. The Federal Council is also responsible for this with its owner strategy.
Surselva instead of Pristina
The parliamentarians in Bern also have little joy in Swisscom’s Kosovo plans. “A company close to the federal government has a certain obligation towards Switzerland,” says National Councilor Martin Candinas (41, center). The Bündner is convinced: “If Swisscom finds suitable call center employees in Kosovo, it would also find them in Surselva, Upper Valais or Toggenburg. That would be sensible location promotion. “
Michael Töngi (54, Greens), President of the Commission for Transport and Telecommunications, is also very skeptical: “The commission will discuss the strategic goals for Swisscom on October 25th. There we will surely ask the owner what he thinks of this outsourcing. ” Depending on the discussion, the strategic goals in this area would have to be adjusted.