Microsoft Replaced Xbox Support Staff With Volunteers

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Microsoft is replacing its paid Xbox support staff with volunteers from the Xbox Ambassadors program, according to a new report.

Polygon is reporting that Microsoft has let go of 12 members of the Xbox support team to rely instead on volunteering users to provide support for fellow customers.

These unpaid Xbox Ambassadors will instead earn points and get entered into competitions for a chance to win prizes. The former staff who were recently let go mainly handled inquiries directed at the Xbox Support Twitter account.

Microsoft’s has been using Xbox Ambassadors to bear some of the support burden for a while, but it seems the company is expanding the members’ share of the support queue. Microsoft still employs a small support team, though they’re now managing the Ambassadors.

According to the report, prior to being let go, Microsoft asked the staff to train Xbox Ambassadors and “increase their input.” Microsoft did not specifically respond to reports of the layoffs, but told Polygon that “We continue to have a number of highly-trained customer support agents, plus community ambassadors, available to help customers with their needs.”

This doesn’t change much for Xbox customers, but you’ll notice that more and more inquiries are being handled by non-support staff in the future. Microsoft already has an AI assistant that takes care of the most common inquiries through online chat, so the move to make support staff redundant has been happening for a while.

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Related Forum: Xbox Forum

Source: https://www.vg247.com/2018/05/30/microsoft-lays-off-xbox-support-staff-favour-unpaid-volunteers/

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"Microsoft Replaced Xbox Support Staff With Volunteers" :: Login/Create an Account :: 10 comments

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MikePosted:

Hey tho let's be honest I'd help Microsoft for free depending on the work

Caspah
Maze I feel like the "volunteers" deserve to get paid, at least a little bit. At least get some sort of compensation, but this is a great idea otherwise.


Yeah or the should get some freebies

CaspahPosted:

Maze I feel like the "volunteers" deserve to get paid, at least a little bit. At least get some sort of compensation, but this is a great idea otherwise.


Yeah or the should get some freebies

MazePosted:

XeCookie_
Decy
Maze I feel like the "volunteers" deserve to get paid, at least a little bit. At least get some sort of compensation, but this is a great idea otherwise.


Anyone should be getting paid for it.... Its effort having to sit and deal with peoples problems all day certainly ain't the most fun thing to do either....

Microsoft should know it better than anyone else Time = Money


Well in a sense the do get paid. Not to be rude but did you guys see this part; "These unpaid Xbox Ambassadors will instead earn points and get entered into competitions for a chance to win prizes. The former staff who were recently let go mainly handled inquiries directed at the Xbox Support Twitter account." I am sure they understand this when they become a "volunteer" so if its their decision then eh why not.


That's very true and I actually agree with the whole thing in general because the people who volunteer are probably going to be 10x more informative then most support members are.

XeCookiePosted:

Decy
Maze I feel like the "volunteers" deserve to get paid, at least a little bit. At least get some sort of compensation, but this is a great idea otherwise.


Anyone should be getting paid for it.... Its effort having to sit and deal with peoples problems all day certainly ain't the most fun thing to do either....

Microsoft should know it better than anyone else Time = Money


Well in a sense the do get paid. Not to be rude but did you guys see this part; "These unpaid Xbox Ambassadors will instead earn points and get entered into competitions for a chance to win prizes. The former staff who were recently let go mainly handled inquiries directed at the Xbox Support Twitter account." I am sure they understand this when they become a "volunteer" so if its their decision then eh why not.

DecyPosted:

Maze I feel like the "volunteers" deserve to get paid, at least a little bit. At least get some sort of compensation, but this is a great idea otherwise.


Anyone should be getting paid for it.... Its effort having to sit and deal with peoples problems all day certainly ain't the most fun thing to do either....

Microsoft should know it better than anyone else Time = Money

kamilcaPosted:

ive been an Xbox Ambassador for years now, seems like a no brainer tbh

RaubenPosted:

Hm not to sure about this... Money makes people work tbh

MazePosted:

I feel like the "volunteers" deserve to get paid, at least a little bit. At least get some sort of compensation, but this is a great idea otherwise.

lbreadsticklPosted:

Let go of 12 people who mainly handled twitter inquiries... didn't know that was even a paid job, and wondering why this is even a news article lol

XeCookiePosted:

This is a great idea in a sense but it sucks now because people are losing jobs.


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