Agoda axes 50 S’pore workers; MOM looking into severance terms

Online travel platform Agoda said on Sept 17 that it has phased out customer support roles in Singapore, Shanghai and Budapest.

- Gabrielle Andres

In response to queries from The Straits Times, Agoda said this is in line with its “continuous improvement drive to enhance operational efficiency”.

While it did not say how many employees were affected, it also said it is creating new positions in other locations.

“This move is designed to consolidate our customer support teams in areas where we have the strongest operational flexibility and capability as we continue to grow our business,” it said.

The company added that it “remains committed to retaining a strong local presence in Singapore and continues to follow relevant local laws”.

On Sept 17, The Business Times reported that about 50 Agoda employees in Singapore have been retrenched.

According to the report, which cited sources, employees were informed during a virtual town hall on Aug 4 that customer experience group (CEG) employees in Singapore, Shanghai and Budapest would be retrenched.

Management cited “cost” issues and “recruitment challenges” as reasons for the move.

All CEG roles in the three locations would be eliminated, the BT report said, citing management, which informed employees of the decision. It added that affected roles included customer service specialists and regional managers.