Well I suppose if you're tenure in charge sees a drop in U.S. market from 32% to 18% you can't complain if you are shown the door. Rick Wagoner is out as GM chief. The action is not that surprising – the company lost $80 billion in the past four year, but the timing might be questionable.
The benefits of pushing Wagoner out might include:
1) It sends a very strong message to GM partners – employees, shareholders, suppliers (God help them), customers that things must change fast
2) The Obama administration is SEEN to play hardball. If nothing else (and there is a lot more) this is a great PR move
3) Improved strategy. This one is a bit more questionable. GM has a relatively good strategy plan geared towards fuel efficient vehicles which are built well. The problem has been the speed with which it moved. The government is obviously forcing a faster pace but GM is as much an ocean liner as the economy that Obama spoke about last week
4) It forces change in the boardroom. One of the real mysteries of the whole GM story is how the board did not ask for change at the top some time ago. Wagoner may be a very competent, intelligent (obviously persuasive) manager, but there are few industries where a CEO with his results would have maintained board confidence.
There are a number of ironies.
GM’s Chevy Malibu is rated by most auto journalists as comparable to the best selling Toyota Camry. It is a very good car but one that just does not have the brand credibility of anything from the magnificent Toyota stable. So Wagoner at least leaves with the satisfaction of knowing GM can produce good cars.
The drive to fuel efficient vehicles might cause GM even greater problems. To succeed in the long term, fuel efficient vehicles must be priced competitively and must be profitable for the manufacturer. Even with the Toyota Prius neither of these elements apply. The Prius is a relatively expensive vehicle and there is much industry skepticism that it generates anything but minimal profits for Toyota.
GM’s major play on the electric car – the Chevy Volt, is a huge investment and an even bigger gamble. The car likely will command a $3-5,000 premium over a regular vehicle with comparable features. The regular consumer will not pay that premium until gas hits $4-5 again. However, you can be sure that the government focus will be on this type of vehicle. Despite all the hype about fuel efficiency, consumers are not buying these vehicles in large numbers.
Toyota sold 143,000 Prius last year. Vehicles that outsold it include, Camry, Civic, Corolla, Altima, Impala, Honda CR-V. In fact, hybrids account for less than 5% of total vehicles sold in the U.S. Some of this is due to limited supply but the real reason is that the consumer is not as interested in these vehicles (at current prices) as government and media would like us to believe.
A final word on Wagoner. Industry sources suggest he is a genuinely OK guy. Today he is just one more number added to those in job search. No matter how financially well off you are, getting the bullet is not easy. I wish him well. Given his knowledge of restructuring and cost cutting, he may well be a great resource to other companies.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Who's More Incompetent? AIG or Congress
These descriptions relate to:
1) The AIG bonus situation
2) Congress’s pathetic, barnstorming, mob oriented performance on AIG
3) Both
Disgraceful
Diabolical
Delusional
Delirious
Dopey
Despicable
Daft
Dreadful
Dire
Discombobulating (my wife gave me that word!).
You decide.
1) The AIG bonus situation
2) Congress’s pathetic, barnstorming, mob oriented performance on AIG
3) Both
Disgraceful
Diabolical
Delusional
Delirious
Dopey
Despicable
Daft
Dreadful
Dire
Discombobulating (my wife gave me that word!).
You decide.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Beat The Recession with the GIFT of GAB - A Fable for St. Patrick's Day
Location: O’Hara’s Bed & Breakfast, West Coast Ireland.
Characters: Mary Margaret O’Hara, proprietor: Michael Patrick (husband), Patrick Michael (son), American Hank Devlin and his long time golf- buddy Martin Boyd, both on first visit to Ireland
_____________________________________________________________
Mrs. O'Hara
“Well, now lads I hope you enjoyed that lovely Irish breakfast – the three slices of black pudding – blood pudding to you – the slices of bacon, mushrooms, baked beans, the two fresh eggs sunny side up as you Americans like to say and of course the giant sausages –from McCool’s the Butcher – he’s a brother-in-law of my sister-in-law you know, although they haven’t spoken for over twelve years, but that’s only temporary. Tell me, what do you fine lads plan to do today. You’re off to the golf course, are ye?”
“Mrs. O’Hara we sure are. We need directions. We don’t have GPS.”
Where the Angels Swim
“And what would ye be needin’ that for, Sir? Doesn’t everyone around here know where everyplace is, around here like? But I’ll tell ya how to get to the golf course. If you go down this road for about two miles, you’ll see a road to the right. That road takes you over the beautiful green hillside and you’ll get a great view of the lakes. They say it is where the angels swim. Some people say they swim in the nude, but I don’t think Father Murphy would approve of that, although there’s been a lot of talk about the long walks he takes with Mother Octavia of the Seven Sorrows - she’s from Six Flags, she has five brothers, four sisters, three are nuns, two priests and one is the black sheep of the family – he’s a politician! Aye, very long walks.”
Mrs. O’Hara paused.
“Anyway, if you see the lakes, you’ve taken the wrong road. Don’t take that road. About a kilometer – ‘tis kilometers we use here now, you know. Kilometers are shorter than miles, but the funny thing is you don’t get there any faster. Anyway - before that road, there is a turn to the left – take that, and the golf course is down there. Have you gentlemen visited these parts before?”
“No. No. We have not, although I sure do love it. My grandfather emigrated from here years ago. I remember sitting on his knee and telling me about the beautiful Irish people and countryside. He never told me about the great Irish golf courses you have.”
“Ah, the only things walking the land in those days were the sheep. Off you go now, gentlemen and par for putt or whatever you guys do. You don’t know that Tiger Weeds guy, do you?
“Woods.”
“Woods? Well, there is a forest about 5 miles from town, but I thought you wanted to play golf”
“We do Mrs. O Hara, we do. The golfer’s name is Woods – Tiger Woods.”
What Do I Want My Attitude To Be
“And there’s me saying … oh well. It’s a funny game that golf. My son Patrick Michael says they even have names for each golf hole down at the golf course – names like White Sox, Wrigley and Sears Tower, although I hear they’re going to change that name for some reason. Now where do they get names like that from? Can you credit that? Well, now off you go and keep an eye out for sheep on the road. When you are near the golf course, they might delay you. But as my late husband, Michael Patrick said when things go wrong –‘What do I want my attitude to be?’ ”
“Sorry to hear that your husband passed away, Mrs. O’Hara, that must have been a blow.”
“My husband? – Ah no, he’s just late – late back from the creamery.”
“Oh, I’m glad to hear that. Don’t worry – we’ll keep an eye out for the sheep on the road.”
“Do that. As Willie Nelson might sing ‘On the road again.’ Off you go now.”
As the would-be golfers drove off, Mrs. O’Hara smiled, took out her sleek iPhone hit a speed key and said:
“Hi Patrick Michael? Morning. Quick one for you. I’ve just had a couple of guests heading off to the golf course. Are you out on the land at the moment? Good. Good. Look they’ll be going by your place in about 10 minutes. Put a few sheep out on the road for them. Give them a touch of old Ireland.”
“Mom, you’re nuts.”
The Brand Experience
“Ah now Son, you are the one that told me about this Brand Experience thing. That it will help us beat the recession. Those guys came looking for the old Ireland. Aran sweaters. Friendly people. Crazy directions.”
“And what’s with the sheep, Mom? That could make them late for their golf.”
“Sheep? That’s the added value son which you tell me should always be provided. And if they get a little anxious about being late, just tell them to remember that great question when things go slightly wrong.”
“Yea, I know, ‘What do I want my attitude to be?’ It’s a powerful question, recession or not.”
“That it is Son. So put those sheep out, create that Brand Experience thing, I’ll get repeat business and pay off your student loans. It’s the Gift of GAB son and for God’s sake don’t be playing Gun’s n’ Roses on the tractor when they go by. It’ll confuse them. And remember that Gift of GAB son.”
“I know, I know. Goals, Attitude, Behavior. It’s the key to BEATING the recession. OK, Mom, I’ll put the sheep out. Where are they from?”
“Chicago, the Windy City.”
“Ah Barack O’Bama country! I wonder will they be saying ‘Yes – we can, Yes – we can’ after losing a dozen golf balls on that course. But why are you sending them this direction? All you had to do was give them MapQuest details.”
The Gift of GAB
“And wouldn’t that ruin the experience Son? You know Ireland has one of the best educated young populations in the world. You are not a good example of that. You’ve got your father’s brains – he’s still not back from the creamery. My Goal is to make sure my guests have a great time, they’ll have a great Attitude and the end Behavior is they will come back to Ireland again. I’ve got to go now son. That nice man, Padraig Harrington is on the Golf Channel. Hurry up with those sheep. You’ll hear my guests coming. They’re driving a stick shift. Oh by the way, tell them to keep the ball out of the woods -or even weeds!”
“I will Mom, I will. I might even tell them about the Gift of GAB – How Goals, Attitude, Behavior can BEAT the living daylights out of the recession.”
“That’d be nice Son. I think I hear your father coming. He’s going to need the Gift of GAB to explain what kept him.”
Characters: Mary Margaret O’Hara, proprietor: Michael Patrick (husband), Patrick Michael (son), American Hank Devlin and his long time golf- buddy Martin Boyd, both on first visit to Ireland
_____________________________________________________________
Mrs. O'Hara
“Well, now lads I hope you enjoyed that lovely Irish breakfast – the three slices of black pudding – blood pudding to you – the slices of bacon, mushrooms, baked beans, the two fresh eggs sunny side up as you Americans like to say and of course the giant sausages –from McCool’s the Butcher – he’s a brother-in-law of my sister-in-law you know, although they haven’t spoken for over twelve years, but that’s only temporary. Tell me, what do you fine lads plan to do today. You’re off to the golf course, are ye?”
“Mrs. O’Hara we sure are. We need directions. We don’t have GPS.”
Where the Angels Swim
“And what would ye be needin’ that for, Sir? Doesn’t everyone around here know where everyplace is, around here like? But I’ll tell ya how to get to the golf course. If you go down this road for about two miles, you’ll see a road to the right. That road takes you over the beautiful green hillside and you’ll get a great view of the lakes. They say it is where the angels swim. Some people say they swim in the nude, but I don’t think Father Murphy would approve of that, although there’s been a lot of talk about the long walks he takes with Mother Octavia of the Seven Sorrows - she’s from Six Flags, she has five brothers, four sisters, three are nuns, two priests and one is the black sheep of the family – he’s a politician! Aye, very long walks.”
Mrs. O’Hara paused.
“Anyway, if you see the lakes, you’ve taken the wrong road. Don’t take that road. About a kilometer – ‘tis kilometers we use here now, you know. Kilometers are shorter than miles, but the funny thing is you don’t get there any faster. Anyway - before that road, there is a turn to the left – take that, and the golf course is down there. Have you gentlemen visited these parts before?”
“No. No. We have not, although I sure do love it. My grandfather emigrated from here years ago. I remember sitting on his knee and telling me about the beautiful Irish people and countryside. He never told me about the great Irish golf courses you have.”
“Ah, the only things walking the land in those days were the sheep. Off you go now, gentlemen and par for putt or whatever you guys do. You don’t know that Tiger Weeds guy, do you?
“Woods.”
“Woods? Well, there is a forest about 5 miles from town, but I thought you wanted to play golf”
“We do Mrs. O Hara, we do. The golfer’s name is Woods – Tiger Woods.”
What Do I Want My Attitude To Be
“And there’s me saying … oh well. It’s a funny game that golf. My son Patrick Michael says they even have names for each golf hole down at the golf course – names like White Sox, Wrigley and Sears Tower, although I hear they’re going to change that name for some reason. Now where do they get names like that from? Can you credit that? Well, now off you go and keep an eye out for sheep on the road. When you are near the golf course, they might delay you. But as my late husband, Michael Patrick said when things go wrong –‘What do I want my attitude to be?’ ”
“Sorry to hear that your husband passed away, Mrs. O’Hara, that must have been a blow.”
“My husband? – Ah no, he’s just late – late back from the creamery.”
“Oh, I’m glad to hear that. Don’t worry – we’ll keep an eye out for the sheep on the road.”
“Do that. As Willie Nelson might sing ‘On the road again.’ Off you go now.”
As the would-be golfers drove off, Mrs. O’Hara smiled, took out her sleek iPhone hit a speed key and said:
“Hi Patrick Michael? Morning. Quick one for you. I’ve just had a couple of guests heading off to the golf course. Are you out on the land at the moment? Good. Good. Look they’ll be going by your place in about 10 minutes. Put a few sheep out on the road for them. Give them a touch of old Ireland.”
“Mom, you’re nuts.”
The Brand Experience
“Ah now Son, you are the one that told me about this Brand Experience thing. That it will help us beat the recession. Those guys came looking for the old Ireland. Aran sweaters. Friendly people. Crazy directions.”
“And what’s with the sheep, Mom? That could make them late for their golf.”
“Sheep? That’s the added value son which you tell me should always be provided. And if they get a little anxious about being late, just tell them to remember that great question when things go slightly wrong.”
“Yea, I know, ‘What do I want my attitude to be?’ It’s a powerful question, recession or not.”
“That it is Son. So put those sheep out, create that Brand Experience thing, I’ll get repeat business and pay off your student loans. It’s the Gift of GAB son and for God’s sake don’t be playing Gun’s n’ Roses on the tractor when they go by. It’ll confuse them. And remember that Gift of GAB son.”
“I know, I know. Goals, Attitude, Behavior. It’s the key to BEATING the recession. OK, Mom, I’ll put the sheep out. Where are they from?”
“Chicago, the Windy City.”
“Ah Barack O’Bama country! I wonder will they be saying ‘Yes – we can, Yes – we can’ after losing a dozen golf balls on that course. But why are you sending them this direction? All you had to do was give them MapQuest details.”
The Gift of GAB
“And wouldn’t that ruin the experience Son? You know Ireland has one of the best educated young populations in the world. You are not a good example of that. You’ve got your father’s brains – he’s still not back from the creamery. My Goal is to make sure my guests have a great time, they’ll have a great Attitude and the end Behavior is they will come back to Ireland again. I’ve got to go now son. That nice man, Padraig Harrington is on the Golf Channel. Hurry up with those sheep. You’ll hear my guests coming. They’re driving a stick shift. Oh by the way, tell them to keep the ball out of the woods -or even weeds!”
“I will Mom, I will. I might even tell them about the Gift of GAB – How Goals, Attitude, Behavior can BEAT the living daylights out of the recession.”
“That’d be nice Son. I think I hear your father coming. He’s going to need the Gift of GAB to explain what kept him.”
Friday, March 13, 2009
Jon Stewart 2. Jim Cramer 0
Wow!
Jon Stewart really wiped the carpet with Jim Cramer last night. Stewart last week raised a really important point about the lack of aggressive reporting by the financial media and pointed fingers at CNBC and Jim Cramer in particular. The tone of his message was accurate even if it was supported by some clever editing.
Jim Cramer did what every good PR agency would tell him to do. Face your accuser. So Jimbo sauntered on to The Daily Show last night expecting - it seems - to have a relatively light-hearted debate with this very humorous speaker and comedian. I presume that is what he expected because he appeared stunned by the vigor and intensity of Stewart's questioning.
In boxing parlance, the fight should have been stopped early. Cramer's inability to respond and Stewart's increasingly aggressive tone almost became uncomfortable as the interview continued. I don't recall one good laugh in the whole show which is really unusual for that program.
A few points strike me about all of this.
1) As a humorous motivational keynote business speaker (motivational humorist is shorter Conor) (I know but not as effective for search engines as motivational, humorous, inspirational keynote speaker) (Get to the point, will you?)
As I was saying as a humorous motivational keynote business speaker, I do my homework to understand my audience before I get in front of them. Jim Cramer did not.
2) I also prepare aggressively: I rehearse: I articulate my keynote out loud. I prepare.
Jim Cramer did not prepare and paid for it - Bigtime. I find The Cramer Report completely off-putting but when I see Cramer interviewed on Street Signs or other shows, he seems a genuinely likable guy, so I felt a little sorry for him, but it was his own fault or that of his PR people.
3) I blogged some time ago about the fawning interviews the financial press does with the hero of the day. The first time I realized Enron's Jeffrey Skilling was 'special' was when I saw an obsequious fawning interview with him on a financial show.
The same type of hero worship is now being presented to J.P. Morgan's Jamie Dimon. Just to make sure there is no confusion I am not comparing Dimon to the criminal Skilling. My point is how the media treat financial superstars. To be fair, as a TV producer or Booker, I'd jump at the chance of having Dimon on my show. As well as doing apparently a good job at J.P. Morgan he is a very media friendly personality. Even if he is the only saint on Wall Street (OK my geography is suspect) let's stop canonizing him.
4) Why are the best interviews done by Comics? Stewart / Cramer is one example. Dave Letterman's interview with John McCain was excellent as was The View's interview with the same candidate.
GO ON - BEAT THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF THE RECESSION
Jon Stewart really wiped the carpet with Jim Cramer last night. Stewart last week raised a really important point about the lack of aggressive reporting by the financial media and pointed fingers at CNBC and Jim Cramer in particular. The tone of his message was accurate even if it was supported by some clever editing.
Jim Cramer did what every good PR agency would tell him to do. Face your accuser. So Jimbo sauntered on to The Daily Show last night expecting - it seems - to have a relatively light-hearted debate with this very humorous speaker and comedian. I presume that is what he expected because he appeared stunned by the vigor and intensity of Stewart's questioning.
In boxing parlance, the fight should have been stopped early. Cramer's inability to respond and Stewart's increasingly aggressive tone almost became uncomfortable as the interview continued. I don't recall one good laugh in the whole show which is really unusual for that program.
A few points strike me about all of this.
1) As a humorous motivational keynote business speaker (motivational humorist is shorter Conor) (I know but not as effective for search engines as motivational, humorous, inspirational keynote speaker) (Get to the point, will you?)
As I was saying as a humorous motivational keynote business speaker, I do my homework to understand my audience before I get in front of them. Jim Cramer did not.
2) I also prepare aggressively: I rehearse: I articulate my keynote out loud. I prepare.
Jim Cramer did not prepare and paid for it - Bigtime. I find The Cramer Report completely off-putting but when I see Cramer interviewed on Street Signs or other shows, he seems a genuinely likable guy, so I felt a little sorry for him, but it was his own fault or that of his PR people.
3) I blogged some time ago about the fawning interviews the financial press does with the hero of the day. The first time I realized Enron's Jeffrey Skilling was 'special' was when I saw an obsequious fawning interview with him on a financial show.
The same type of hero worship is now being presented to J.P. Morgan's Jamie Dimon. Just to make sure there is no confusion I am not comparing Dimon to the criminal Skilling. My point is how the media treat financial superstars. To be fair, as a TV producer or Booker, I'd jump at the chance of having Dimon on my show. As well as doing apparently a good job at J.P. Morgan he is a very media friendly personality. Even if he is the only saint on Wall Street (OK my geography is suspect) let's stop canonizing him.
4) Why are the best interviews done by Comics? Stewart / Cramer is one example. Dave Letterman's interview with John McCain was excellent as was The View's interview with the same candidate.
GO ON - BEAT THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF THE RECESSION
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Ryanair - Best Entertainment In Airline Business
I have decided to run a Ryanair watch. As well as being a very effective low fare carrier and Europe’s largest airline, the company is really entertaining to watch. Not necessarily to fly but to watch and in many ways CEO Michael O'Leary is the best humorous speaker out there. He provides THE best entertainment in the airline business.
Some people say O’Leary is a few seats short of a full aircraft but I think he’d be OK with that description as the plane would be lighter, fuel consumption less and he’d get to his destination faster and cheaper. That’s all the guy promises. He breaks so many customer service rules – abusing customers, talking down to them (sometimes throwing in the f-bomb), refusing to provide free wheelchair service for disabled passengers. The list goes on and on.
But he keeps one promise so well that almost sixty million people fly the airline annually. He provides THE lowest cost fares in the business – by miles (which is probably one of the reasons he doesn’t offer frequent flyer miles!! Sorry my little effort to bolster my reputation as a humorous inspirational motivational speaker!)
O’Leary is at it again. Last week he got enormous press for threatening to charge for use of aircraft toilets. (See below for some great puns from media reports.) Now Ryanair is to stop using airport check-in desks!
The company expects EVERY passenger to check in online from October 1st. Passengers with bags – which they will pay extra for – will be expected to drop them at one of Ryanair’s drop desks “before proceeding through airport security to the boarding gate. This will free passengers from wasting hours at airports prior to departure and will dramatically reduce travel times for all Ryanair passengers.” What a thoughtful company!
This is lunatic or is it? The airline will save significant costs by not paying for airport space and presumably reduce personnel costs also. Currently 75% of Ryanair passengers check in online (cost $5 each time) so it should not be that difficult to push the number up substantially.
However, what happens when Grandma arrives at the airport without checking in? Worse scenario for Ryanair staff – what happens when Grandma’s grandson arrives at Doncaster airport after a stag weekend, hung over, tired and hungry and he has not checked in? God help Ryanair staff then.
I say the man is nuts, but he is brilliant.
Some potty humor generated by the furor over pay to pee (sounds like Illinois politics!)
“If you only have dollars, can you still euro-nate?” –Washington Post
“Flush with interest in the idea of mounting credit card-operated toilets.” – numerous
“Crap PR from Ryanair.” IrishmanSpeaks Blog
I hate to spoil a good story with the truth, but Michael O’Leary has since admitted that charging “a pound to spend a penny” is not realistic. He told a hugely entertained tourism conference in Dublin a few days later that it was a “new visionary strategy and a wonderful idea,” but conceded that it could be construed as “taking the piss”.
He went on to say, “Boeing can put people on the moon, design fighter aircraft and smart bombs, but they can’t design a bloody mechanism to go on doors that will accept coins. It is not likely to happen, but it makes for interesting and very cheap PR.”
The man is nuts, but he is brilliant.
Some people say O’Leary is a few seats short of a full aircraft but I think he’d be OK with that description as the plane would be lighter, fuel consumption less and he’d get to his destination faster and cheaper. That’s all the guy promises. He breaks so many customer service rules – abusing customers, talking down to them (sometimes throwing in the f-bomb), refusing to provide free wheelchair service for disabled passengers. The list goes on and on.
But he keeps one promise so well that almost sixty million people fly the airline annually. He provides THE lowest cost fares in the business – by miles (which is probably one of the reasons he doesn’t offer frequent flyer miles!! Sorry my little effort to bolster my reputation as a humorous inspirational motivational speaker!)
O’Leary is at it again. Last week he got enormous press for threatening to charge for use of aircraft toilets. (See below for some great puns from media reports.) Now Ryanair is to stop using airport check-in desks!
The company expects EVERY passenger to check in online from October 1st. Passengers with bags – which they will pay extra for – will be expected to drop them at one of Ryanair’s drop desks “before proceeding through airport security to the boarding gate. This will free passengers from wasting hours at airports prior to departure and will dramatically reduce travel times for all Ryanair passengers.” What a thoughtful company!
This is lunatic or is it? The airline will save significant costs by not paying for airport space and presumably reduce personnel costs also. Currently 75% of Ryanair passengers check in online (cost $5 each time) so it should not be that difficult to push the number up substantially.
However, what happens when Grandma arrives at the airport without checking in? Worse scenario for Ryanair staff – what happens when Grandma’s grandson arrives at Doncaster airport after a stag weekend, hung over, tired and hungry and he has not checked in? God help Ryanair staff then.
I say the man is nuts, but he is brilliant.
Some potty humor generated by the furor over pay to pee (sounds like Illinois politics!)
“If you only have dollars, can you still euro-nate?” –Washington Post
“Flush with interest in the idea of mounting credit card-operated toilets.” – numerous
“Crap PR from Ryanair.” IrishmanSpeaks Blog
I hate to spoil a good story with the truth, but Michael O’Leary has since admitted that charging “a pound to spend a penny” is not realistic. He told a hugely entertained tourism conference in Dublin a few days later that it was a “new visionary strategy and a wonderful idea,” but conceded that it could be construed as “taking the piss”.
He went on to say, “Boeing can put people on the moon, design fighter aircraft and smart bombs, but they can’t design a bloody mechanism to go on doors that will accept coins. It is not likely to happen, but it makes for interesting and very cheap PR.”
The man is nuts, but he is brilliant.
Monday, March 09, 2009
What Rush Limbaugh and The Sex Pistols have in common
Here’s a little quiz for you. The following applies to
a) The Sex Pistols
b) Rush Limbaugh
c) Both
Angry
Rude
Energetic
Drug addicted
Disenfranchised audience
Offensive content
Rank Generalizations
Hugely entertaining
No depth
Media savvy
You decide.
a) The Sex Pistols
b) Rush Limbaugh
c) Both
Angry
Rude
Energetic
Drug addicted
Disenfranchised audience
Offensive content
Rank Generalizations
Hugely entertaining
No depth
Media savvy
You decide.
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Crap PR from Ryanair
You have to hand it to Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary. He has built the Irish airline into the most popular (in terms of passengers flown) airline in Europe while basically breaking almost every customer service rule in the book.
O’Leary promises one thing – to be the lowest fare airline. Nothing else. He doesn’t promise and doesn’t provide great airplane environment, great food or a feel good customer relationship. But he does keep his promise to be the lowest fare airline by keeping his costs to the minimum and charging you for ancillary services.
Ryanair has flown 58 million passengers in the last year with a load factor of 81% and has the best on time record of any European airline. Although it recently reported a quarterly loss of €101m, it is promising strong profits for 2009. O’Leary keeps his promises.
He is a brilliant PR artist who generates thousands of pages of free publicity by often making ludicrous often inflammatory statements. The man has probably abused every European Union official that has anything to do with the industry. He is often humorous, rarely inspirational or motivational but is a speaker you would go a long way to hear. He is also the only CEO who has suggested his airline might offer (jokingly) sexual favors on long haul flights! You think I’m joking? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfIY24BErBE
His most recent stroke of PR genius is to suggest that Ryanair will operate coin operated toilets in planes. The comment was mentioned in passing during a BBC interview and has garnered worldwide attention. Google “Ryanair pay for toilets” and you get 129,000 references. Who knows if O’Leary is serious about this one? He does like to mess with people’s heads but he does not mess around in running one of the most successful airlines in the world (OK, he doesn’t have much competition).
Marcus Buckingham wrote a fine book some years ago titled Break all the Rules. It could have been the Michael O’Leary autobiography.
O’Leary promises one thing – to be the lowest fare airline. Nothing else. He doesn’t promise and doesn’t provide great airplane environment, great food or a feel good customer relationship. But he does keep his promise to be the lowest fare airline by keeping his costs to the minimum and charging you for ancillary services.
Ryanair has flown 58 million passengers in the last year with a load factor of 81% and has the best on time record of any European airline. Although it recently reported a quarterly loss of €101m, it is promising strong profits for 2009. O’Leary keeps his promises.
He is a brilliant PR artist who generates thousands of pages of free publicity by often making ludicrous often inflammatory statements. The man has probably abused every European Union official that has anything to do with the industry. He is often humorous, rarely inspirational or motivational but is a speaker you would go a long way to hear. He is also the only CEO who has suggested his airline might offer (jokingly) sexual favors on long haul flights! You think I’m joking? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfIY24BErBE
His most recent stroke of PR genius is to suggest that Ryanair will operate coin operated toilets in planes. The comment was mentioned in passing during a BBC interview and has garnered worldwide attention. Google “Ryanair pay for toilets” and you get 129,000 references. Who knows if O’Leary is serious about this one? He does like to mess with people’s heads but he does not mess around in running one of the most successful airlines in the world (OK, he doesn’t have much competition).
Marcus Buckingham wrote a fine book some years ago titled Break all the Rules. It could have been the Michael O’Leary autobiography.
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