L.L.Bean, a major outdoor goods company, has announced layoffs as well as changes to the company’s call center hours. The company will be shortening the available hours of the call center, and the new hours will be from 8 am to 8 pm. This new schedule will reduce call center availability by four hours, as it was previously open from 7 am to 11 pm. The change will adjust worker shifts, and the company stated that fewer workers will be needed at the call center, so some employees will be cut. L.L Bean stated that over ninety percent of calls come in from 8 am to 8 pm. The company also said that the growing trend of online shopping reduces the number of employees needed in physical L.L. Bean locations. The layoffs are a response to long-term customer trends, and the company is making adjustments to be better positioned for future success.
See "L.L. Bean will shorten call center available hours, resulting in layoffs", Ahjané Forbes, USA Today, April 16, 2024