>Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1999 16:35:37 -0800 >From: Sid Shniad <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: BELL CANADA INVESTIGATING CREATION OF NEW SERVICES FOR OPERATORS >TO MINIMIZE ATTRITION > >Canadian Communications Network Letter January 25, 1999 > >Renegotiating with US company over ownership -- > >BELL CANADA INVESTIGATING CREATION OF NEW >SERVICES FOR OPERATORS TO MINIMIZE ATTRITION > >A shell-shocked Bell Canada is doing all it can to appear conciliatory >with its operators as it wraps up its second week of damage control. >The telco is trying to placate the Communications, Energy and >Paperworkers Union -- and its own customers -- by claiming it failed >to provide an accurate message when announcing it would outsource >operator services. The telco has also backed off its hard line tactics to >cut wages overnight and turn the division over to a majority-owned US >call centre operator. > >Bell now suggests it would "consider" a majority ownership position in >the new company with Excell Global Services, but Excell may have >limited interest in being a minority partner of a company spawned amid >public turmoil. The telco is no doubt burning the midnight oil with Excell >executives to see if there's a way for all parties to emerge unscathed. >Meanwhile, the operators' 52 offices in 39 municipalities in Ontario and >Quebec will be amalgamated into fewer locations which are yet to be >determined. > >Paulette Beaudry-Klug, VP operator services at Bell Canada, told >Network Letter that creating the new company is actually Bell's answer >for keeping operators employed. The union, most of the media and the >public have berated the telco for planning to outsource operator >services by creating the new company. Either Bell failed to telegraph its >intentions to protect operators' employment via new services, or Bell's >spin-doctors have suddenly created new policy in the guise of Bell's >original scheme. > >Bell claims it is trying to reverse a trend where calls requiring operators >are steeply declining. The telco has been monitoring US models where >operators have provided tourist travel information and performed other >call centre-style services for telco customers. If this is indeed the case, >it begs the question why the union incited the public's wrath just as Bell >was investigating task creation to keep its members on the payroll. >Granted, the operators are destined to earn less after the new company >is established, but that could be the trade-off for even a small degree of >job security. > >Bell says it was willing to discuss a transition period with the union, but >it didn't get the chance before the issue ignited. "We prefer not to >negotiate through the newspapers," says Beaudry-Klug. "Our >negotiations with our partner (Excell) have also not been concluded at >this point. (It's) a very unfortunate situation where there has been >misquoting and a misunderstanding about what was going to happen. > >"It is important to us not only to keep these jobs in our country, but also >to demonstrate we have something to be proud of," she adds. "An >American company is prepared to come in and invest in a business that >we believe we can turn around and offer. We'll negotiate with our >partner and see where the ownership will end up when negotiations are >completed." > >It appears operator services were in jeopardy long before Bell starting >looking for a partner. Last year, Bell operators handled about 83 million >calls, compared with more than 200 million 10 years ago. Five years >from now, operators are predicted to be handling about half the current >volume under the status quo. With the advent of automated toll >technologies, voice recognition equipment and free directory assistance >on the Internet, "live agents" are less in demand than ever before. In >tandem with losing about 30 per cent LD market share to competition >over the past few years, Bell knew it had to act. > >The future of operator services is unclear, but Bell sounds interested in >assigning new tasks to those who choose to stick it out. "In the US, if >you're visiting somewhere for the first time and you want to organize a >business dinner or see a show, you can dial 411 information," explains >Beaudry-Klug. "Not only will they connect you, they'll even make >reservations if you're interested. More and more travellers to the US are >returning here and asking why we don't have those services in this >country." The service could also provide contemporary information on >weather, road conditions and traffic reports, as well as provide >on-the-spot destination routes for travellers. > >"We believe if Bell Canada can be the first to offer those services, it >would be a golden opportunity," she adds. "We have the expertise and >technology -- we just needed to find a partner that has already lived >through the transformation that the industry is going through, and has >done so in a successful manner. They can bring their marketing, sales >and international expertise and help us be the first. That's what this is >all about." > >--------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >UNION COMMISSIONS SURVEY THAT SHOWS BELL UNPOPULAR > >A survey commissioned by the Communications, Energy and >Paperworkers Union says 73 per cent of respondents believe Bell >Canada's handling of its operators will have a negative effect on the >economy. Up to 63 per cent are reported willing to take action to protest >Bell's decision to outsource the division to a US firm that is one-third >owned by Bell. The survey says half of the respondents plan to switch >to other carriers and 67 per cent want the government to withdraw all >funding and financial support.... >
