// Wilko contact centre staff are at risk of redundancy as it outsources customer service
// The roles impacted have entered a period of consultation
Wilko workers are at risk of redundancy as it plans to outsource its customer service operations.
A total of 95 roles are at risk at its contact centre in Worksop. The retailer has entered a consultation period with those impacted and opportunities for alternative roles within the business will be explored.
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From next month, a third-party provider will take over all its customer enquiries, including via web chat, email, social media, live chat and telephone.
The retailer said that the changes were part of its aim to “use the best available technology and processes” and to improve efficiencies.
Wilko digital director Ben Exall said: “Nothing matters more to us than offering a shopping experience that values our customers’ time and money, and unfortunately our current customer service processes aren’t delivering the aftercare that our shoppers need.
“Using the expertise and customer service-specific technology of a third-party provider means we can now deliver the experience that our customers rightly demand of us after visiting one of our stores or shopping via our website.”
“These changes will obviously have an impact on team members currently employed in the contact centre. All our team members are critical to the Wilko business, and helping the hardworking families who shop with us, so this is not something we have undertaken lightly.”
Earlier this month, Wilko secured a £40m funding lifeline from Hilco, which has been given security over much of Wilko’s intellectual property, including its logo, marketing slogans and various own-label product names.
Wilko also replaced chair Lisa Wilkinson, the granddaughter of the retailer’s founder, with restructuring expert Chris Howell.
It also hired a new CEO, ex-Bensons for Beds boss Mark Jackson, last month as Jerome Saint-Marc stood down with immediate effect.
