Virgin Media and O2 Setup Simpler and Faster New UK Consumer Unit
Broadband, TV and mobile operator Virgin Media and O2 has this afternoon announced an organisational change that will see them create a new Consumer unit to cover trading, propositions, digital, data and insights, customer service and retail. The new unit will be led by Lyssa McGowan OBE, who joins the executive team on 8th July as CEO of Consumer, reporting directly to Lutz Schüler.
The move effectively combines Virgin Media and O2’s existing Commercial and Data and Operations functions into a single unit that is intended to be “simpler, faster [and] focused“. As part of these changes Rob Orr, Chief Operations Officer (COO), and Christian Hindennach, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), will leave the business, stepping back from their responsibilities in the coming weeks.
According to VMO2, the move will establish a unit that has the “focus, data and talent to better understand and enhance customer experiences, simplify decision making and move faster in a highly competitive market“. A cynic might view this as suggesting that VMO2 could have lacked some of those qualities before.
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However, we suspect the reality here may be more about saving costs and learning to operate more efficiently, although there’s always the possibility that it might actually deliver some customer service improvements too.
Lutz Schüler, CEO of VMO2, said:
“It has always been our ambition to bring these teams together and these changes align squarely with our long-term strategy, ensuring that we are better set up to serve our customers and build even stronger foundations for the future.
This is a highly competitive and rapidly evolving market so just doing what we’ve always done isn’t the answer – we need to be simpler, faster and focused. These changes will do that with Lyssa being exactly the right person to lead our new consumer unit. Lyssa has a wealth of experience, and I have full confidence that she will bring fresh thinking and healthy challenge to the executive team.
I would like to extend thanks from all of Virgin Media O2 to Rob and Christian who have both shown true dedication to the business over many years and have been instrumental in shaping the vision for the new consumer organisation.”
The new CEO of Consumer, Lyssa McGowan, is a familiar name and has plenty of executive experience, including as CEO of Pets at Home and more than a decade at Sky (Sky Broadband, Sky TV etc.) culminating in her role as Chief Consumer Officer (CCO).
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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What does this actually mean for the customer? Plenty of corporate marketing waffle from VM02 here!
Hi I. Found virgin 02 not a very good service at moment I rang them. A few times and got no answer I’m an old age pensioner I don’t use my pc much no cos of virgin attitude they don’t seem. To care about people only our money lots people complain about virgin 02. I’ve been with virgin many years. But thinking of leaving cos of their prices. I’ve asked many times for reduced prices as I said I don’t play games on pc only chat to friends. Hope you will get in touch soon .
I have a three point plan that would resolve the majority of issues I experienced when I was a customer.
1. On shore everything and keep it in house.
2. If in doubt see point 1.
3. Really, point 1 covers everything.
In my honest opinion nothing is going to change because Virgin are ths worst broadband with regards to customer service, reliability and customer care that I have ever had installed in my home, 100% I would leave if any other fttp available here, they don’t even have WiFi 7 on there latest cabling systems?
So more corporate waffle. They simply do not get it, as its prices are fr too high and renewal.. well that is a joke. Then its legendary “customer services”.. Where are they?? In india also known as scam central. As soon as any personal data is passed to india, scamming starts. Far too expensive for BB and it does not realise why thousands have left and many more are leaving.
This is far too little and late. The horse has bolted long ago and left.
I think virgin are OK anytime I phone I always gets someone nice and have been help a lot of times the only thing they are a bit dear
Virgin and 02 are very corrupt definetly not trustworthy very hard to pay a simple bill not organised at all it is like talking to mentally deranged children at times very very frustrating
So pleased I read these comments. I can relate to them all and realise that loyalty went out of the window years ago. I feel a move coming on.