Sky says 2,000 jobs at risk at customer service sites

Sky has said 2,000 call centre jobs are at risk under plans to move more of its customer service online.

The media and telecoms company plans to close three of its 10 UK customer service centres, it said on Thursday, citing changing consumer preferences and declining call volumes.

The planned cuts - which would see its Stockport, Sheffield and Leeds Central call centres close - represent 7% of its total workforce and are subject to consultation.

A Sky spokesman said it was making a multi-million pound investment in its Livingston site, near Edinburgh, as part of a transformation "to deliver quicker, simpler and more digital customer service".

As well as closing three sites, operations at its Dunfermline and Newcastle sites would also be affected by the plans.

Sky News reports that the company, which is owned by Comcast, receives around 25 million calls a year from customers across Europe each year - though it expects this to decrease by a third in the next few years.

Sky says that many customers now want different means of contacting them - including via online chat and emails - and to be able to contact them 24 hours a day.

As well as upgrading its Livingston site, the company said it would invest in "cutting-edge digital technology to make our service seamless, reliable, and available 24/7".

The Sky spokesman said: "This is about building a future-ready Sky that continues to put our customers and their needs first."

In January 2024, Sky said it was planning to cut 1,000 jobs in the UK as it moved towards more internet-based services.