Directory assistance 1818 closes call center in Biel
The 1818 information hotline is shutting down its call center in Biel. A spokesperson confirmed a report to that effect in the NZZ on Wednesday.
Calls to directory assistance services are declining, the spokesman told AWP news agency. Therefore, the operational business will be shifted internally. In concrete terms, this means: Calls from Switzerland will be answered from abroad in the future. German and English calls will be forwarded to Austria, French and Italian calls to Morocco. According to the company, up to 66 employees will be affected by the closure in Biel. 1818 Auskunft is part of the kgb Group, as are its sister companies in Austria, France, Ireland and the UK. The New York-based company describes itself as the world's largest provider of telephone directory assistance services not provided by traditional telecoms groups, according to the NZZ.
In Switzerland, Swisscom continues to offer a telephone directory assistance service under the number 1811. The competitor 1818 became known for its advertising campaign reminiscent of the glorious 1970s of Swiss skiing. The stars of the campaign are two men with distinctive moustaches who appear in the 70s dress of the ski team with bib number 18. (SDA)
