Oyo’s hospitality partners panic due to layoffs

The hotel partners seem to have received no communication from OYO about its downsizing and are unable to contact the Company’s representatives either.

Oyo’s recent layoffs have pushed its hotel partners into panic mode. Not only have they received no formal communication from the Company about the recent layoffs, but the representatives of the Company seem to have gone off the radar too. These partners and asset owners had begun to suspect something was wrong, because they noticed that the Oyo employees they interacted with seemed to be changing or getting replaced frequently. But they got to know about the massive layoffs only through the media, which these partners rightly feel was unfair. Many hotel owners have been trying to get in touch with Oyo representatives ever since the layoffs were announced, but apparently their phones are going unanswered.

However, Oyo maintains that it has been in constant touch with its hotel partners in all its regions of operation that have undergone restructuring. It also asserts that it has set up direct channels of communication and helplines with its partners and asset owners to clarify doubts and resolve queries.

Partners have been seeking more transparency and complaining of the way Oyo has been treating them—more like employees than business partners.  Most asset owners have been disappointed by the fact that such important news pertaining to downsizing and layoffs was kept from them, whereas Oyo has been regularly informing them of new launches and expansion to other countries. Matters are made worse by the fact that most of the job cuts have taken place in the client-facing roles.

Even if they wish to dissociate with Oyo, the hotel partners fear that they will lose out on their regular customers because the Company will mark their property as ‘sold-out’.