How to Shoot Yourself in the Foot 101
May 11th, 2005
Yesterday, United Airlines, the nation’s second largest carrier, was cleared to dump their pension plans on a government agency. The long and short of it is that, because of the laws, United’s 121,500 active and retired employees are going to have to take a cut in their pension checks so the big company can save some cash.
I’m amazed that the execs at United haven’t learned anything from the JetBlues and Southwests of the world: Your employees come first.
As a customer, do I really want to fly on an airline that doesn’t really think much of their pilots and attendants? In turn, how are they going to treat me and do they even care if I am a loyal customer or not?
Other posts by Spike.
FI Chris says:
This reminds me of something I read a while ago (don’t remember where) that described the Simple Hierarchy of Business: The shareholders’ job is to take care of the managers; the managers’ job is to take care of the employees; the employees’ job is to take care of the customers; and the customers take care of the shareholders. The kind of care you put in determines the kind of care you’ll receive. FI Chris
February 20th, 2006 at 2:14 pmScott Tims says:
Chris, I agree. As a manager I always felt my biggest contribution was to properly “serve” those who worked with me, not expect them to serve me just because I carried to hollow title “manager.” This respect has an uncanny way of leeching into the entire organization and positiively effecting the customers. We have become so obessed with branding lately, thinking that branding is a fancy work for marketing or advertising, when in fact the most effective “branding” occurs when a positive experience occurs—either externally or internally.
February 20th, 2006 at 2:15 pm