Ref. 289976SHELLSHOCKED workers at Thames Water's Kembrey Park call centre were yesterday coming to terms with the news that the firm was shedding 200 jobs.

There were claims that customer service would suffer when experienced staff went and that customers with problems would find their services cut off much sooner.

"It is such a life-changing decision," said one worker, who didn't want to be named.

"I am worried because job prospects in Swindon are not very good at the moment. I think everybody is worried. We knew something was going on but it was still a shock to be told about it."

The announcement of the job losses came on Wednesday as part of a review, which the company said was to improve performance and ensure that customers received value for money.

But some staff, none of whom were willing to be identified, were convinced the service to customers would be reduced.

"It will just go out of the window," said another.

"It will lead to more customers being cut off sooner," he claimed. "Years of experience in dealing with people's problems would be lost."

Another worker said he resented the implication that there was inefficiency.

"My department has met all the targets it has ever been set."

He added that they had been so efficient they had actually reduced their own workload.

Unison regional officer John Loudoun, who represents around half the workers, spent yesterday in meetings with management and shop stewards at the centre. "I have to say people are hacked off, frankly understandably so," he said later.

He was also disappointed that the losses came after the company transferred jobs offshore to India last year.

"It is clear that some processes needed to be improved, but that doesn't mean individuals are inefficient. I think in that customer centre they are constantly being challenged by management to work hard and get productivity up."

Linda Maslen, customer services director at Thames Water, denied the redundancies were part of a cost-cutting exercise. "We have done a very detailed piece of work looking at how many people we actually require."

She said areas of different departments throughout the call centre had been targeted where there was over-staffing.

"We are looking at creating a sustainable customer service for Swindon in the future," she said.

She assured staff that the company would do all it could to help them find new jobs, whether they took the voluntary redundancy package or were made redundant.

It would also help them prepare for job interviews, write CVs and alert them to local opportunities. If they wanted to retrain completely they would also be offered help. "We will give them as much support as we can."

Tina Clarke