At least around 400 jobs are at risk
Ageas is planning to close its Stoke-on-Trent and Port Solent call centres – affecting 597 employees.
As part of a reorganisation, the 388 staff at the Stoke office are at risk of losing their jobs, with the intention to close the office by June 2020.
The Port Solent office, with 209 employees, is due to close by the end of June 2019. But, Ageas revealed it plans to transfer its Port Solent operations to its site in Eastleigh.
Ageas is also proposing to close its sales and service operation in Eastleigh from 1 April 2019 to consolidate this operation in the Gloucester office.
A consultation is now underway about transferring Port Solent employees by the end of June 2019.
The insurer is also consulting with employees in the Stoke office over its plan to close the site.
Digital
In a statement, Ageas explained that the increasingly technology-driven marketplace was a key factor behind the decision.
An Ageas spokesperson said: “Customers are increasingly choosing to buy and service policies through digital channels.
“In addition, we have removed complexity from our business and invested in technology to make us more efficient.
“These changes in our business mean we have fewer employees, but we retain a substantial amount of workspace and facilities.
“Our plan is to reorganise our sites to reflect this changing environment – a course of action we did not take lightly.”
The insurer revealed it has decided to prioritise its sites in Eastleigh, Bournemouth and Gloucester, and retain leased offices in London and Manchester.
The spokesperson added: “This is clearly unsettling news for our employees and our priority is to support them at this time.
“The options for employees at the affected sites are different depending on where they’re based and their roles.
“We are committed to listening to them, being open and transparent during the consultation, and supporting them in any way we can through the changes.”
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