New York – AOL said Tuesday it has done such a good job helping its subscribers help themselves that it is cutting about 1,300 customer-service jobs and shutting its Jacksonville, Fla., call center.
The layoffs – many also coming from service centers in Ogden, Utah, and Tucson – amount to nearly 7 percent of AOL’s global workforce of about 20,000. The Time Warner Inc. Internet unit also cut about 700 positions last fall.
“There is never an easy time to do this,” AOL spokesman Nicholas Graham said. “But the steps we take today will help ensure that AOL meets the needs of our members, meets our strategic corporate goals and sustains the growth of our business.”
Tracy Carpe, who has worked at the Jacksonville center since February, seemed resigned to the layoffs as she walked into her final day at work.
“I just want to get my check and go,” Carpe said.
Robert Carabina was more upbeat.
“I was looking forward to having a career here, but I guess it wasn’t to be,” said Carabina, who joined the center three months ago. “The three months was a very enjoyable experience, and I am still going to keep my AOL service.”
Jacksonville and Tucson had been AOL’s two largest call centers.
AOL’s overseas offices aren’t affected by Tuesday’s announcement, although Graham said some of the duties will now be handled by call centers abroad, as well as other U.S. centers.
AOL’s subscription base has been falling as more Internet users drop dial-up connections in favor of broadband.
