Verizon Wireless Is Closing A Third Of Its US Call Centers, Will Customer Support Suffer?

One of the complaints MVNO customers often have is that their customer support experience is not as good compared to the experience offered by a major wireless carrier. Unfortunately, at least one major wireless carrier may be about to take a step backwards in that department.

Verizon Wireless recently announced that it has plans to close six call center locations throughout the USA which amounts to roughly 1/3 of its total call centers. The net result is expected to yield a loss of 3,000 out of a total of 6,500 customer service jobs.

Verizon Wireless is closing the call centers in favor of moving into a home based agent customer service model. The home based model will allow eligible employees to work from the comfort of their own homes to provide support to Verizon Wireless customers.

The stay at home jobs will require a few stipulations. Employees must be able and willing to work split shifts, weekends and holidays, have high speed internet access and an extra room in their house with total quiet. Verizon will offers its employees a stipend of $65 to help pay for internet service.

Critics of the new model claim that many of the laid off employees will not be able to meet the requirements for at home work. And of course with less customer support representatives employed, Verizon's subscribers may face longer hold hold times and an overall diminished customer support experience when trying to reach a live person on the phone for help.

Some employees who can't work from home may be able to be moved to another call center.

Through the layoffs and call center closings Verizon Wireless will likely save millions when it has less employees to pay and no longer has to pay to rent the properties it uses to house the call centers.

Although this move may impact the quality of customer support care that Verizon Wireless can provide to its customers, the carrier still operates a large nationwide network of brick and mortar stores where subscribers can go to seek care. This is one area where major carriers still have a big advantage over MVNO's.