Lancaster (California) Call Center Closed
Jan 24, 2014, 9:15 am
#16
Join Date: Dec 2006
Programs: United 1K, *wood LT Plat
Posts: 825
Is this day and age the Lancaster people could have worked from home which would have been far cheaper than paying for a call center. Not to mention the fact that it is difficult to provide good customer service and travel information without experience. How many people willing to work for presumably low wages in Wichita have the money to experience many global or even domestic Starwood properties?
Guess for my next trip to Overland Park, KS, I will now be able to get the low down on the Four Points there.
Guess for my next trip to Overland Park, KS, I will now be able to get the low down on the Four Points there.
Jan 24, 2014, 10:25 am
#17
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: B6 Mosaic, Bonvoy LT Titanium (x SPG LT), IHG Spire, UA Silver
Posts: 5,844
Just got an e-mail from my Ambassador that I will be transferred to a new person in Wichita. My 3rd Ambassador in a year...really not impressed by this.
Jan 24, 2014, 10:29 am
#18
Join Date: Dec 2008
Programs: AA EXP/CK, SPG LT Platinum(RIP), Marriott Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 267
Lancaster Call Center Closed
I just posted something in the ambassador thread about losing my ambassador who was with me since the beginning of the program.. Very sad day.. 
. I wish there was a way to protest a decision like this!! Especially since I am sure that I am not the only one who feels this way about him.
. I wish there was a way to protest a decision like this!! Especially since I am sure that I am not the only one who feels this way about him.
Jan 24, 2014, 11:10 am
#19
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
I just posted something in the ambassador thread about losing my ambassador who was with me since the beginning of the program.. Very sad day.. . I wish there was a way to protest a decision like this!! Especially since I am sure that I am not the only one who feels this way about him.
. I wish there was a way to protest a decision like this!! Especially since I am sure that I am not the only one who feels this way about him.Please rest assured that all of our associates will be well cared for. Similarly, we expect a seamless transition for all Ambassador guests to their new designate this week. Should you have immediate concerns please do not hesitate to contact us through regular methods.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Jan 24, 2014, 12:22 pm
#20
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,737
Where are they doing the Facetime call center from now that the Lancaster office is closed?
Jan 24, 2014, 5:07 pm
#21
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: B6 Mosaic, Bonvoy LT Titanium (x SPG LT), IHG Spire, UA Silver
Posts: 5,844
More info here:
http://www.kansas.com/2014/01/23/324...alif-call.html
Who is their right mind would leave Southern California to move to another call center when the average wage after 5 years is going to be a whopping $13.40/hour? How many people in the Wichita center have even stepped foot in a Starwood hotel? They could barely afford a bus ticket to get to one from Wichita.
Kinda sad to see at a time of high occupancy and rising rates in the US that Starwood has chosen to go the cheap route and support the downward spiral of wages in exchange for "bribes/incentives" from Kansas.
http://www.kansas.com/2014/01/23/324...alif-call.html
Who is their right mind would leave Southern California to move to another call center when the average wage after 5 years is going to be a whopping $13.40/hour? How many people in the Wichita center have even stepped foot in a Starwood hotel? They could barely afford a bus ticket to get to one from Wichita.
Kinda sad to see at a time of high occupancy and rising rates in the US that Starwood has chosen to go the cheap route and support the downward spiral of wages in exchange for "bribes/incentives" from Kansas.
Jan 26, 2014, 11:38 am
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: check swarm
Programs: DL DM & 2MM, SPG/Bonvoid LT Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, $tarbucks Titanium
Posts: 14,401
Jan 26, 2014, 2:24 pm
#23
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: GEG
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Lifetime SkyClub, AS MVP
Posts: 2,408
With all due respect, if Starwood went the "cheap route" you would be talking with someone based in India or another country.
Jan 26, 2014, 2:32 pm
#24
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: B6 Mosaic, Bonvoy LT Titanium (x SPG LT), IHG Spire, UA Silver
Posts: 5,844
With all due respect, paying minimum wage in Wichita and with the tax breaks they are getting, India would be the higher cost option.
In fact, many calls are already answered by representatives in Ireland, Canada, Singapore, etc. I would rather have an experienced person getting decent pay regardless of country of origin. I have gotten very good service from reps in other countries.
In fact, many Starwood brands are well represented in India and China and are the two biggest growth markets for Starwood. If the phone reps are experienced, getting decent pay, and doing a good job, which country they are in means little to me.
Laying off experienced representatives and hiring minimum wage workers in an area of the country very poorly represented by Starwood seems like a short sighted decision to me--and one which I do not wish to encourage or support in any way.
Anybody that deals with vendors such as big banks, phone companies, airlines, etc knows what crappy customer service is. Especially in the travel business--Starwood themselves has been promoting travel as an experience. If you pay people minimum wage in an area nowhere close to a Starwood property, how much experience can these people share with customers that stay at Starwood properties all the time? It is degradation of the Ambassador program and a disservice to the people that stay at Starwood the most.
Sure you can train somebody to book a hotel reservation. I can do that myself online. Only experience with a variety of Starwood properties can lead to the Ambassador program being truly effective. It is just not going to happen if the goal is to simply go to the place with the cheapest wages and biggest tax kickbacks. Not useful for Starwood customers, not useful to Kansas which loses the tax revenue, and not good for the employees in Lancaster dumped on the streets with a little payout to send them on their merry way.
In fact, many calls are already answered by representatives in Ireland, Canada, Singapore, etc. I would rather have an experienced person getting decent pay regardless of country of origin. I have gotten very good service from reps in other countries.
In fact, many Starwood brands are well represented in India and China and are the two biggest growth markets for Starwood. If the phone reps are experienced, getting decent pay, and doing a good job, which country they are in means little to me.
Laying off experienced representatives and hiring minimum wage workers in an area of the country very poorly represented by Starwood seems like a short sighted decision to me--and one which I do not wish to encourage or support in any way.
Anybody that deals with vendors such as big banks, phone companies, airlines, etc knows what crappy customer service is. Especially in the travel business--Starwood themselves has been promoting travel as an experience. If you pay people minimum wage in an area nowhere close to a Starwood property, how much experience can these people share with customers that stay at Starwood properties all the time? It is degradation of the Ambassador program and a disservice to the people that stay at Starwood the most.
Sure you can train somebody to book a hotel reservation. I can do that myself online. Only experience with a variety of Starwood properties can lead to the Ambassador program being truly effective. It is just not going to happen if the goal is to simply go to the place with the cheapest wages and biggest tax kickbacks. Not useful for Starwood customers, not useful to Kansas which loses the tax revenue, and not good for the employees in Lancaster dumped on the streets with a little payout to send them on their merry way.
Last edited by sfozrhfco; Jan 27, 2014 at 2:53 am
Jan 27, 2014, 12:06 am
#25
Join Date: May 2006
Location: KSNA/KLAX
Programs: IML GOLD, Bonvoy LTPE, WOH Globalist, AAEXPLT
Posts: 645
Moving 300 jobs inland I'm guessing will save Starwood in the neighborhood of millions a year in overhead... Starwood isn't the first, nor will it be the last to relocate from California. Aside from average wage being lower moving inland, state taxes, insurance, land, rent, just about everything is lower. Its probably why huge warehouses such as Amazon have multiple warehouses in NV and AZ which is a stone's throw (1 delivery day) away from basically every address in CA.
It does suck for those who were laid off, but I'm sure the high performers and some management were given relocation opportunities ... after all you need seasoned hands to operate and train up such a large staff.
On the bright side, California has great unemployment benefits, at least 6 months if I remember correctly.
It does suck for those who were laid off, but I'm sure the high performers and some management were given relocation opportunities ... after all you need seasoned hands to operate and train up such a large staff.
On the bright side, California has great unemployment benefits, at least 6 months if I remember correctly.
Jan 27, 2014, 2:05 am
#26
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Manhattan NV
Programs: Hilton LTD, Hyatt Glob, Marriott LTTE, AA LTP, Avis PC, National EE, Seabourn DE
Posts: 3,027
With all due respect, paying minimum wage in Wichita and with the tax breaks they are getting, India would be the higher cost option.
In fact, many calls are already answered by representatives in Ireland, Canada, Singapore, etc. I would rather have an experienced person getting decent pay regardless of country of origin. I have gotten very good service from reps in other countries.
In fact, many Starwood brands are well represented in India and China and are the two biggest growth markets for Starwood. If the phone reps are experienced, getting decent pay, and doing a good job, which country they are in means little to me.
Laying off experienced representatives and hiring minimum wage workers in an area of the country very poorly represented by Starwood seems like a short sighted decision to me--and one which I do not wish to encourage or support in any way.
Anybody that deals with vendors such as big banks, phone companies, airlines, etc knows what crappy customer service is. Especially in the travel business--Starwood themselves has been promoting travel as an experience. If you pay people minimum wage in an area nowhere close to a Starwood property, how much experience can these people share with customers that stay at Starwood properties all the time? It is degradation of the Ambassador program and a disservice to the people that stay at Starwood the most.
Sure you can train somebody to book a hotel reservation. I can do that myself online. Only experience with a variety of Starwood properties can lead to the Ambassador program being truly effective. It is just not going to happen if the goal is to simply go to the place with the cheapest wages and biggest tax kickbacks. Not useful for Starwood customers, not useful to Nebraska which loses the tax revenue, and not good for the employees in Lancaster dumped on the streets with a little payout to send them on their merry way.
In fact, many calls are already answered by representatives in Ireland, Canada, Singapore, etc. I would rather have an experienced person getting decent pay regardless of country of origin. I have gotten very good service from reps in other countries.
In fact, many Starwood brands are well represented in India and China and are the two biggest growth markets for Starwood. If the phone reps are experienced, getting decent pay, and doing a good job, which country they are in means little to me.
Laying off experienced representatives and hiring minimum wage workers in an area of the country very poorly represented by Starwood seems like a short sighted decision to me--and one which I do not wish to encourage or support in any way.
Anybody that deals with vendors such as big banks, phone companies, airlines, etc knows what crappy customer service is. Especially in the travel business--Starwood themselves has been promoting travel as an experience. If you pay people minimum wage in an area nowhere close to a Starwood property, how much experience can these people share with customers that stay at Starwood properties all the time? It is degradation of the Ambassador program and a disservice to the people that stay at Starwood the most.
Sure you can train somebody to book a hotel reservation. I can do that myself online. Only experience with a variety of Starwood properties can lead to the Ambassador program being truly effective. It is just not going to happen if the goal is to simply go to the place with the cheapest wages and biggest tax kickbacks. Not useful for Starwood customers, not useful to Nebraska which loses the tax revenue, and not good for the employees in Lancaster dumped on the streets with a little payout to send them on their merry way.
Jan 28, 2014, 5:42 am
#27
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K - 2mm, AA Platinum- 2mm, Starwood Lifetime Platinum (Ambassador)
Posts: 457
Jan 28, 2014, 8:49 am
#28
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: DL DM MM, Hyatt LT Globalist, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,141
I'm very sad to hear of this- some of the best service I had came from the agents in Lancaster. Several years before the Ambassador program there was a Platinum Concierge who I spoke with very frequently and e-mailed directly for requests/changes etc.. She was one of the best and essentially served the same role as an ambassador. Such a shame that it is being closed.
Jan 28, 2014, 9:13 am
#29
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K - 2mm, AA Platinum- 2mm, Starwood Lifetime Platinum (Ambassador)
Posts: 457
Sad, as some of those agents were really terrific. Wish them well.
Jan 28, 2014, 10:59 am
#30
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,369
What is/was the FaceTime line?
