This is Your Captain Speaking ....again!

Boy, I sure know how to pick them! On November 5, 2007 I wrote about Chiquita Brands in a blog entitled 'Slipping up on their own skins.' In it I raised concerns about their restructuring plan and their focus on reducing debt as opposed to focusing on the�consumer.�After they announced their profits for the year,�I�wrote a further blog to say that�I got it wrong and that I was sorry. On January 9th of this year, I wrote a blog on Starbucks called 'Deja Vu - Spilling the Beans' in which I spoke about the need to bring back the Founder of the company.�Since those blogs and despite the apology,�both of�these companies are currently going through some tough challenges.�Chiquita has lowered its profit forecasts blaming factors beyond its control, and Starbucks is closing stores left-right-and-centre�blaming factors in its control. And, last week, I wrote about Qantas - and how the actions of their captain and crew, after a gas explosion blew a hole in�the�aircraft in mid-flight,�filled me with confidence that it was�still one of the safest airlines to fly.�Then came�news that�a further two Qantas flights were�aborted due to safety issues.�Qantas employees are demanding answers. They want to know�from their senior management that the airline is safe.

When you have your employees�questioning the very thing that their company has built its reputation on, then you had better think hard, very hard about what you say to them. If Qantas' senior management tries�to sweep the employees'�demand for answers�aside, then they will destroy the company's reputation and the very thing that has made the airline successful.�On the other hand,�if they treat their employees as the critical stakeholders that they are, and win back their confidence, then the company's reputation will remain in tact and the airline will continue to be successful regardless of these 3 setbacks.�It is my hope that Qantas management frames its answer very carefully to the satisfaction of its employees.

Which brings me to a little story as to why we all like to fly Virgin Airlines every now and then. As the story goes, on this particular day the airline had to cancel a flight and reallocate all displaced passengers on to other flights or airlines. One irate passenger, refusing to wait in the queue, stormed to the front and threw his ticket on the counter and demanded of the Virgin attendant�that he be put on the next available flight immediately.�She very politely�said that she would do what she could but that he would need to wait in line for his turn. At which, the man stormed,'Do you know who I am?' Without so much as a second thought, the attendant picked up the microphone and said for the whole airport to hear, ' Ladies and Gentlemen, please may I have your attention - there is a gentleman at Counter 55 who does not know who he is - if you are aware of someone who may be lost or suffering from amnesia, please come to Counter 55 and claim him. Thank you.' The gentleman was not amused and shouted, "F- - - you!' To which the attendant said, 'Ahh! for that Sir, you will need to get back in line!'

Whether the story�is an urban myth or�true, I have no idea;�but it would not surprise me if, first it was�true�and secondly, that the attendant was indeed from Virgin Airlines. Why, because that is how�I would expect someone from Virgin Airlines�to act. The point is -�employees are a�company, and if your employees�are questioning the very essence of what made the company great - then you had better come up with some pretty damn good answers.

ian

Comments

[Kirk Ward]

Okay, I'm a retired accountant, and I'm trolling blogs for accounting stuff to fill my dotage thinking about, but that Virgin Airlines story is hilarious. If I hadn't spent fifteen years travelling 50 weeks a year, mostly in tight cramped airline seats, I'd almost be tempted to go buy a Virgin Airlines ticket and see what happens when I make a scene.

[Ian Campbell]

Thanks Kirk for the comment. I must admit that when I heard the story, I too was tempted to do the same, but then common semse prevailed. I don't envy you all the traveling though.

[Ian Campbell]

Ooops! I do mean 'common sense' and not 'semse'. My apologies for the spelling error.

[Sharon]

I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

Sharon

http://www.autoloans101.info

[Ian Campbell]

Sharon,
Good to have you on-board and thank you for your very kind comment. Comments are always appreciated. Remember, if there is any particular topic that you would like us to cover in the blog - just shout. Otherwise, happy reading.
best,
ian