Npower to cut 2,500 jobs - a fifth of its UK workforce

worldtraveller

Energy firm Npower is to cut up to 2,500 jobs, more than a fifth of its UK workforce, with an announcement to staff expected this week.

Npower, which is owned by the German energy giant RWE, employs 11,500 people in the UK and is one of the country's big six gas and electricity suppliers.

The BBC understands sales and marketing roles will be the worst hit.

Npower's headquarters are in Swindon and most of its UK employees are in the central and north east England and in Yorkshire.

BBC News

stator

Down with coal

antrobus

worldtraveller wrote: »

...The BBC understands sales and marketing roles will be the worst hit....

How many sales and marketing roles do you need to run an effective energy company?

It's not like that the gas and electricity that Npower supplies is any different from anyone else's. Perhaps there is a realisation that all that 'branding' is a waste of money, and that they might as well focus on competing on the one thing that matters?

kabayiri

antrobus wrote: »

How many sales and marketing roles do you need to run an effective energy company?

It's not like that the gas and electricity that Npower supplies is any different from anyone else's. Perhaps there is a realisation that all that 'branding' is a waste of money, and that they might as well focus on competing on the one thing that matters?

The products are changing.

There is a realisation that as the number of rental properties increases, so do the needs for fully managed solutions in things like energy.

Heating management will also be packaged as just a part of a wider home management service. British Gas are already moving in this direction.

mwpt

I'm curious how energy firms will adapt to what I see as the inevitable cheaper costs of energy and self sufficiency through better tech in solar and battery storage.

cells

mwpt wrote: »

I'm curious how energy firms will adapt to what I see as the inevitable cheaper costs of energy and self sufficiency through better tech in solar and battery storage.

yes this is a concern for the UK utilities. Their customer base might stop growing by 300,000 a year and it might go to +250,000 a year. How will they cope?

purch

Another success for Martin and MSE :T

mwpt

cells wrote: »

yes this is a concern for the UK utilities. Their customer base might stop growing by 300,000 a year and it might go to +250,000 a year. How will they cope?

yes this is a concern for blockbuster. Their customer base might stop growing by 300,000 a year and it might go to +250,000 a year. How will they cope?

kaflinkle

purch wrote: »

Another success for Martin and MSE :T

Yep, 2500 people out of work...what a result.

cells

mwpt wrote: »

yes this is a concern for blockbuster. Their customer base might stop growing by 300,000 a year and it might go to +250,000 a year. How will they cope?

thanks, I had overlooked that extremely relevant comparable business plan

sammyjammy

Having moved to NPower last year and promptly moving again I worry for their business full stop. Surely their poor customer service and inability to bill correctly will get even worse?