Possible executive suite shake-up [Confirmed.]
Dec 14, 2012, 2:32 pm
#76
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There were a few other changed that didn't hit the EVP level of note and as such didn't rate a PR for. Cindy Szadorkierski (VP of airport ops for the Americas, Europe and Asia) has left the company, her Intl duties were picked up by Kyle Betterton, a MD of cargo sales, marketing, and contact centers. Both were legacy UA.
Dec 14, 2012, 2:38 pm
#77
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There were a few other changed that didn't hit the EVP level of note and as such didn't rate a PR for. Cindy Szadorkierski (VP of airport ops for the Americas, Europe and Asia) has left the company, her Intl duties were picked up by Kyle Betterton, a MD of cargo sales, marketing, and contact centers. Both were legacy UA.
Dec 14, 2012, 2:52 pm
#78
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More PMUA management being thinned out, makes me wonder, if anything changes away from the UAdbaCO MO will occur?
Last edited by iluv2fly; Dec 15, 2012 at 9:27 am Reason: response to deleted quote
Dec 14, 2012, 2:58 pm
#79
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Sorry, I was responding specifically to the point that you can't improve anything by getting rid of people, which is clearly untrue.
You are absolutely right (and if you look at my other post earlier today I said as much) that you achieve this by "hiring carefully, managing to inspire, and giving the workers a stake in the fate of the enterprise", but all of the carrots also need to come with a stick too. At the moment any improvements that could be brought about by positive management action seem likely to be derailed by embittered long-term staff who seem to mainly be marking time. When things have become really bad there does need to be a level of clearing out along with the incentives; although you're also right that I see no evidence of any of this coming from the current leadership.
As for hiring Bezos, I've found Amazon's CS to be extremely mixed and whilst their IT platform is fantastic for CS, he doesn't have the background for an in-person service company. UA should be looking to one of the big hospitality players who have managed to provide a really strong CS proposition with a US workforce: Carnival, Disney Resorts, Four Seasons (perhaps even Fridays).
You are absolutely right (and if you look at my other post earlier today I said as much) that you achieve this by "hiring carefully, managing to inspire, and giving the workers a stake in the fate of the enterprise", but all of the carrots also need to come with a stick too. At the moment any improvements that could be brought about by positive management action seem likely to be derailed by embittered long-term staff who seem to mainly be marking time. When things have become really bad there does need to be a level of clearing out along with the incentives; although you're also right that I see no evidence of any of this coming from the current leadership.
As for hiring Bezos, I've found Amazon's CS to be extremely mixed and whilst their IT platform is fantastic for CS, he doesn't have the background for an in-person service company. UA should be looking to one of the big hospitality players who have managed to provide a really strong CS proposition with a US workforce: Carnival, Disney Resorts, Four Seasons (perhaps even Fridays).
Dec 14, 2012, 3:00 pm
#80
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How accurate & timely your post is: A multi-year 1K business partner of mine, is in the exact same situation for a trip next week and booked on DL. This is his first flight on DL in a decade!
More PMUA management being thinned out, makes me wonder, if anything changes away from the UAdbaCO MO will occur?
More PMUA management being thinned out, makes me wonder, if anything changes away from the UAdbaCO MO will occur?
Dec 14, 2012, 3:04 pm
#81
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There were a few other changed that didn't hit the EVP level of note and as such didn't rate a PR for. Cindy Szadorkierski (VP of airport ops for the Americas, Europe and Asia) has left the company, her Intl duties were picked up by Kyle Betterton, a MD of cargo sales, marketing, and contact centers. Both were legacy UA.
Speaking of flying UA, I will fly them for the first time in 2 years due to scheduling issues on Sunday and no other alternative through DFW to IAH.....to get there in time for a meeting...See if my M fare as a LT 1K will get me an upgrade...not holding my breath on that one.....
Dec 14, 2012, 3:08 pm
#82
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Dec 14, 2012, 3:15 pm
#83
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Absurd comparison -- UA isn't a consultancy loaded with highly-paid brainiacs, it's a service provider loaded with low-paid randoms. In the latter case you get high-performing teams via tactics other than threats and firings. Southwest Airlines and The Four Seasons don't top the service-quality rankings by firing 10 percent of their workforce every year. You prevent "disdain for my customers" from sinking in by hiring carefully, managing to inspire, and giving the workers a stake in the fate of the enterprise.
I am not defending the UA workforce by any means. One thing that comes through loud and clear, from call center experiences to gate agents to cabin service, is that the employees are barely managed at all. They can do whatever the hell they want without reprisal. But the answer is not to scapegoat them, threaten them, badmouth them, wish in public for them to go away, etc. but build a genuine service culture. This UA has not managed in decades (service goodness comes from individual worker initiative, often workers + customer against management / policy)... and Smisek shows no interest in attempting.
In a long-ago thread asking who we'd like to see replace Smisek as CEO I suggested Jeff Bezos of Amazon - a guy who understands service culture and the importance of customers. I still think it'd be fascinating to see. Smisek, at any rate, is not the guy. He's about as inspiring as a North Korean missile test.
I am not defending the UA workforce by any means. One thing that comes through loud and clear, from call center experiences to gate agents to cabin service, is that the employees are barely managed at all. They can do whatever the hell they want without reprisal. But the answer is not to scapegoat them, threaten them, badmouth them, wish in public for them to go away, etc. but build a genuine service culture. This UA has not managed in decades (service goodness comes from individual worker initiative, often workers + customer against management / policy)... and Smisek shows no interest in attempting.
In a long-ago thread asking who we'd like to see replace Smisek as CEO I suggested Jeff Bezos of Amazon - a guy who understands service culture and the importance of customers. I still think it'd be fascinating to see. Smisek, at any rate, is not the guy. He's about as inspiring as a North Korean missile test.
- I wonder about the part I bolded. My impression is that, at least in some respects, UA CSRs don't have the leeway to help out passengers. For example, far more than in the past, the company's policies constrain employees' ability to be flexible and helpful during IRROPS. Now, part of the problem is SHARES and how it makes simple adjustments into lengthy sagas of furious keyboard work and even phone calls for CSRs. But in addition, it seems that UA personnel are concerned about violating foolish policies. So while management is missing in some respects, it's overbearing in others. Didn't UA hire a Disney executive to oversee whatever unit deals with customer interaction several years ago?
Dec 14, 2012, 3:18 pm
#84
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Quite a description! 
Yes, Barbara Higgins. I had a couple of exchanges with her.
She was a great addition to the CS / CExperience team. Unfortunately she was gone too soon.
She was a great addition to the CS / CExperience team. Unfortunately she was gone too soon.
Last edited by iluv2fly; Dec 14, 2012 at 3:21 pm Reason: merge
Dec 14, 2012, 3:38 pm
#85
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Barbara was excellent and had done a lot in a relatively short space of time. I was disappointed when she moved on but, as with everyone at that level, those severance packages were hard to pass up knowing you'll easily get a role elsewhere.
Dec 14, 2012, 7:27 pm
#86
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There are more deliveries coming to the sCO side in the next year or two, so UA needs to staff those aircraft, and at the moment, the only flight attendants that can work those planes must be under the old Continental contract. The fact that sUA flight attendants cannot work sCO flights/equipment has nothing to do with what the company 'allows', it is a contractual term bargained for by the parties.
With respect to cutting flying on the sUA side, there have been some reductions in total block-hours as a result of the retirement of some 757s and 747s, but my understanding is that the company will be looking to increase utilization again (after the first unsuccessful attempt) now that many initiatives to improve reliability have been carried out. An order of 737-900ERs is tentatively earmarked for the sUA side to replace 752s on a one-for-one basis, but hopefully JCBAs and SLI will be achieved by the time they are on property and the distinction becomes meaningless.
You need to talk to some people that work at Willis Tower. Take a large sample. It cuts both ways. ESPECIALLY at the Manager to Managing Director levels. There are a lot of legacy CO people in the exact same situation you describe, in fear for their livlihood and biting holes in their tongues. Man, am I glad I don't work in that environment.
This is another aspect of the new airline I don't understand. Their marketing is indeed awful. At first, one could understand that it was going to take time to develop a new strategy and a refreshed identity. But here we are, years into the merger, and the most common image of United is that goofy doofus holding a Mileage Plus card saying "You're In."
Last edited by iluv2fly; Dec 15, 2012 at 9:29 am Reason: response to deleted quote
Dec 15, 2012, 8:01 am
#87
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This is very sad. I personally know Mr. Bergsrud and really think he's a great guy. Extremely charismatic and well spoken as well. I thought he would be the future of UA once some other officers leave. It must have been a combination of factors that influenced this decision. Hes in charge of all call centers- could the post 3/3 huge wait times have played a role? Really never could have imagined him being let go especially since he is sCO along with the rest of upper management. He was able to run marketing very well at Continental, but maybe this combined huge carrier was just a little to big for him to handle. I know I will miss having Mark at UA and hope he has no problem finding a new job.
Dec 15, 2012, 9:29 am
#88
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the problem is there is no M space available on the non-stop from LAS that I am on to IAH....and my AA through DFW won't get me there until the next day due to plans at home in LAS already....no worries...As far as 1K/GS and the executive shake-up, I hope UA will realize that they lost a lot of high value flyers and start treating the 1K's and GS's better. As a GS since it started up until 2 years ago, it has turned into the Motto's on this board...."GS/1K (pick your status) is the new 2P"......
Dec 15, 2012, 10:39 am
#89
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What United is doing overall is the same thing every other large American company is doing. It is no different at Verizon, AT&T, Walmart, GE, Marriott, etc. There are two things driving everything - stock price/quarterly results and the ability for a small number of senior execs to make a huge amount of money. Nothing else matters.
Do you think Smisek really cares about United or the customers? I seriously doubt it. He cares about himself and his investors, and his reputation for making money so he can move onto the next job. Making an airline profitable is not easy and I'm sure Smisek has a hugely difficult job.
I really wish companies could retain great people like the ones mentioned above, provide great customer service and create an environment that employees enjoy working in. It just doesn't seem like very many companies/industries believe this is the key to success.
Do you think Smisek really cares about United or the customers? I seriously doubt it. He cares about himself and his investors, and his reputation for making money so he can move onto the next job. Making an airline profitable is not easy and I'm sure Smisek has a hugely difficult job.
I really wish companies could retain great people like the ones mentioned above, provide great customer service and create an environment that employees enjoy working in. It just doesn't seem like very many companies/industries believe this is the key to success.
