[Nfbmt] In The News

[Dan Burke]

Wow, wish you all the best in this Joy! That's a big loss for Great
Falls, and for all those flks like you facing unemployment.

Best,
Dan


On 5/8/15, Bruce&Joy Breslauer via Nfbmt <nfbmt at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Below is an article in the Great Falls Tribune with news about the closing
> of the call center at which I have worked for the past twelve years.  We
> just found out about it at noon on Thursday.  This isn't the best news I've
> ever heard.  I think it is also in several other local papers and has been
> on the TV news.
>
>
>
> They will be offering some employees the opportunity to work at home.  If
> that is available, I will do it.  Most of the computer programs they use
> are
> not compatible with my screen reading software.  They will have individual
> conversations with each one of us in the next few days to see what we want
> to do and how best to transition to the next phase of our lives. I was
> hoping I could get at least another couple of years out of them before this
> happened, and I still might.  I'll keep you posted.  Joy
>
>
>
>
>
> http://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/local/2015/05/07/asurion-will-cl
> ose-downtown-great-falls-call-center-december/70950976/
>
>
> Asurion will close downtown call center in August
>
>
> Asurion employs 348 workers, some will be offered home employment jobs
>
>
> Asurion will close downtown call center in August
>
>
> http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/581c1b808546d6c275ebde3891357f4733ef5975/c=0
> -0-849-849&r=1024x1024&r=26&c=26x26/local/-/media/GreatFalls/USATODAY/2014/0
> 5/02/1399065384000-Jo-Dee-Black.jpgJo Dee Black,
> jblack at greatfallstribune.com 5:45 p.m. MDT May 7, 2015
>
>
>
> Asurion will close its downtown Great Falls operation, which employs 348
> people, in August.
>
>
>
> Great Falls' fourth largest private employer, Asurion, will close in
> August.
> The call center has 348 employees.
>
> The Nashville-based company made the announcement Thursday morning.
>
> The company will offer some employees the opportunity to work from home,
> said Brett Doney, president of the Great Falls Development Center.
>
> "Our first concern is helping the employees who will be separating from the
> company," Doney said.
>
> The company, which provides warranty service for other businesses,
> originally opened a call center in Great Falls in the former U.S. West
> building at 401 1st Ave. N. in the late 1990s. Then named N.E.W., the
> company expanded with a second call center at 321 Central Ave. in downtown
> Great Falls in 2000. That building was originally a department store. The
> last retail occupant, The Bon Marche, closed in 1997.
>
> Dozens of Asurion employees filtered out of the building about noon after
> hearing the closure announcement from company executives, each carrying a
> manila envelope.
>
> Most of the employees, men and women of all ages who do their jobs over the
> phone, were casually dressed in jeans, T-shirts or sweatshirts. Many wore
> baseball caps and tennis shoes.
>
> Several gathered in the alleyway to have a cigarette and talk things over.
>
>
>
> Asurion employees gather outside the building mid-day Thursday. The Great
> Falls call center, located at 321 Central Ave. in a building that formerly
> house The Bon Marche, announced it will close in August.
>
> None agreed to talk to a reporter, with one woman saying, "We aren't
> allowed
> to speak and were told to refer reporters to public relations."
>
> "I don't want to talk at the moment," another woman said. "We're a little
> stressed out."
>
> A large display near the front entrance of the building features pictures
> of
> eight smiling workers with phone headsets and two promotional recruiting
> messages on either side.
>
> "Become a valued team member. See what career awaits you at
> asurian.com/careers."
>
> "World class customer support opportunities are at your fingertips,"
> describing the "fast paced environment, paid training, awesome workplace,
> great benefits and one-team culture."
>
> The Great Falls Development Authority loaned N.E.W. $2 million to buy The
> Bon building. N.E.W. merged with Asurion in 2008 and at that time, some of
> the original N.E.W. partners retained ownership of the building, which is
> leased by Asurion. The outstanding loan balance is $550,000, of which
> $180,000 is owed to GFDA and the rest to the Montana Board of Investments.
>
> "We'll work with the building owners to recover our loan funds and market
> the attractive facility to new employers," Doney said.
>
> The building has great telecommunications access and will be marketed to
> site selectors as a turnkey operation, he said.
>
> Asurion will provide severance packages and job search assistance to
> employees who will lose their jobs because of the closure, according to an
> news release from Asurion.
>
>
>
> Asurion employees leave the building after learning that the Great Falls
> call center will be closing in August.
>
> Employees who work in the company's Asurion at Home program receive $500 to
> set
> up a fully connected home office and will retain their current benefits.
> Asurion has more than 2,500 employees in the program in North America.
> Employees in that program have a higher rate of job satisfaction and a
> lower
> turnover rate, according to the company.
>
> "We encourage all employees to keep their jobs and transition to an
> Asurion at Home position, and we hope that many of the employees will do so,
> keeping Asurion as an area employer, just without a physical building," the
> company's new release statement says. "The decision to close the Great
> Falls
> call center was based on strategic considerations, including enhancing
> operating and infrastructure efficiencies."
>
> N.E.W. adopted the Asurion name in Great Falls in June 2013. At times the
> company employed more than 500 people in Great Falls during the past
> decade.
>
>
>
> http://gftrib.com/1Ps47f8
>
>


-- 
Dan Burke
My Cell:  406.546.8546
Twitter:  @DallDonal