Snapdeal's new performance parameters create stir in the customer care department, hundreds to resign

Employee unrest is not easy to handle even for the biggest of companies and it is especially difficult when a company opts for downsizing and mass layoffs. The latest to be at the receiving end of employee ire is Gurgaon-based Snapdeal. The Alibaba-backed company has asked 200 people in its consumer service department to improve their performance or leave.

According to media reports, employees (only customer service) have been asked to achieve over 85 per cent customer satisfaction score, which is not feasible as Snapdeal has never crossed the 65 per cent mark. However, according to YouTube video below, employees see no valid reason for making such stringent performance parameters.

One of the employees in the front of the camera says:

Snapdeal hired us recklessly without any future projections about our role in the company.

They also alleged that the company has been selling counterfeit products which is one of the prime reason for not achieving customer satisfaction score over 60 per cent.

Major chunk of employees who are sure about not meeting the performance improvement plan (PIP) are most likely to leave Snapdeal by the next week. “Management has chalked out PIP parameters deliberately so that we are left with no option than resignation,” says one disgruntled customer care executive on condition of anonymity.

Since last April, about 600 employees have resigned in the customer service department through similar PIP programme.

Snapdeal says through a statement sent to YourStory:

There have been no layoffs at Snapdeal. As part of the ongoing performance management and development program, some team members at our Contact Center have been offered a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). While many team members have opted for this opportunity to improve the requisite skills set, some team members have desired not to undertake the PIP and have instead decided to move on voluntarily.

As per company statement, PIP process is expected to cover about 200 team members.

Recommended read: The truth about hiring and firing in the startup world

In June last year Flipkart transferred hundreds of its employees to business process outsourcing (BPO) firm Serco. This didn’t go down well with the employees and many of them opted to resign. Over the past six months, on-demand grocery and food delivery startups like TinyOwl, Zomato, Roadrunnr, Grofers and Peppertap have seen firings and employee unrest.

Pink slips are quite normal in developed countries like the US. However, with the startup boom in India layoffs are becoming normal, though employees are still to accept this change.