Orange Retentions trial in retail store?

wandos

Hi guys, a friend's son works in Orange Retail and he has said that the company is preparing to roll out the ability to provide retentions offers in store during the first quarter of 2011. Has anyone else heard anything like this? I personally would certainly choose the store if I wanted to get a deal simply because I prefer to talk face to face with someone.

I wouldn't think that this is something that would be generally advertised but was just wondering if anyone had any further info.

Jon_01

There's suppoed to be on going work to integrate the CS system into retail, but retentions have their own software that prompts them with the offer they can give based on many factors. I don't see how that's going work in retail ???

tazdevil01985

Love to see how this would work totally bad idea ! Have customers really kicking off and throwing their teddies out the pram on the phone is different to it having it in a store

Jon_01

Have to agree, but it could be that so many staff are going at Orange (due the EE merger), they may want to get rid of retentions and pass the buck to retail.

tazdevil01985

Jon_01 wrote: »

Have to agree, but it could be that so many staff are going at Orange (due the EE merger), they may want to get rid of retentions and pass the buck to retail.

Very true CS hasnt been touched yet but I am sure it will be soon just away of cutting more staff ! I have trouble getting served in an Orange store at the moment let alone if they introduce this as retentions is not a quick process i.e changing account details applying products etc.

Aye_Up

Jon_01 wrote: »

Have to agree, but it could be that so many staff are going at Orange (due the EE merger), they may want to get rid of retentions and pass the buck to retail.

So far as I know there are no planned job losses aside from back end functions such as HR and administration.

As for retentions in retail it is already happening....you can go instore now, its not much if I am honest with you basically any upgrading customer can receive the same deals as a new one.

So for arguements sake you are a low spending customer say £15pm and you wanted a Blackberry Bold 9780 you would be looking at a substantial charge towards the cost. You are however now afforded the option to move to a price plan which would give the same handset free to new customers.

From what I was reading recently, the policy was implemented due around 20,000 customers leaving on average a month.

Everything Everywhere is getting itchy about its market share at the moment and is frightened to lose it. The retentions model that you see in Customer Services, isn't due to be expanded into retail for the forseeable future.

As for ongoing work of integrating CS system into retail its already there......but not alot can be done with it and the majority of queries still have to be referred to actual CS.

Jon_01

I don't know what section your in, but their talking about closing us down completely and moving to outsource. Seems very odd that T is the smaller partner and yet all the 'shedding' is being done on the Orange side ? And have you seen the composition of the new board? Something stinks somewhere, the tail is wagging the dog...

tazdevil01985

Jon_01 wrote: »

I don't know what section your in, but their talking about closing us down completely and moving to outsource. Seems very odd that T is the smaller partner and yet all the 'shedding' is being done on the Orange side ? And have you seen the composition of the new board? Something stinks somewhere, the tail is wagging the dog...

Not nice Jon I have friends who are in your position some left today.

Aye_Up

Jon_01 wrote: »

I don't know what section your in, but their talking about closing us down completely and moving to outsource. Seems very odd that T is the smaller partner and yet all the 'shedding' is being done on the Orange side ? And have you seen the composition of the new board? Something stinks somewhere, the tail is wagging the dog...

I work in the not so special area of retail.........

I knew there would be some losses but from what I hear the retail estate is going to be slashed if these Dual site (branded) stores take off. I said 6 months ago this would happen to my manager, as you know the company is moving away from aquisition based model to retention. In the next 24 months I believe the CPW and P4U relationships will end and the company will go it alone on the high street.

Genuinely I am frightened for the business, mergers are never easy but from what I was told frontline operations should be spared evidently from what you say this isn't the case.

Mind if I ask what area you work?

Jon_01

I can't say (sorry). We're not frontline, but we deal with (major) frontline issues. We're part of finance and split across 2 sites.

Frontline isn't being spared away. They've just closed Keypoint (Bristol) after saying for 18 months that they wouldn't (the lease was coming to an end). They said they'd move the call centre to one of the other sites in Bristol. Then one lunchtime they had a quick meeting with all the call centre staff and told them they were closing...

Keypoint is where data support used to be (and Lab, but I think they closed that a while back)...

tazdevil01985

Jon_01 wrote: »

I can't say (sorry). We're not frontline, but we deal with (major) frontline issues. We're part of finance and split across 2 sites.

Frontline isn't being spared away. They've just closed Keypoint (Bristol) after saying for 18 months that they wouldn't (the lease was coming to an end). They said they'd move the call centre to one of the other sites in Bristol. Then one lunchtime they had a quick meeting with all the call centre staff and told them they were closing...

Keypoint is where data support used to be (and Lab, but I think they closed that a while back)...

That was a shock for quite a few people when Keypoint closed - lost a lot of good people especially the TSAs (not something you can teach !)
Yes they closed LAB and farmed it to Plymouth its FIT now and and only for the first 3 months. LAB was fun finding out what new products worked and didnt should go back to that ! Being first and inivative.