Ancient Observer Takes up my challenge
My experience as a customer tells me that they can be changed.
1. The British Passport Agency.
True, but not an international company. No shareholders and all elements within direct control of the boss (Home Secretary) who is based in the same city.
2. British Telecom.
I was involved in telecommunications from 1979 to 2003 and so I saw all of this although, again, would draw the caveat that their operations are in the UK, overseas units are not quite the same but I will grant you!
3. BA. Anyone else remember the step change in customer service around the early 90's when they ran PPF1 and PPF2? Either the CEO or the Chair attended every programme across the world.
Yes - exactly so! And, as you say, they then let it go. Why? My guess is Money. After the 1989-92 recession, all companies clamped down on their costs and never let up. Good - except for the well know fact that many companies now got run by people from outside the business and ones who had not grown up through the business. I won't go back over all of that but you sometimes HAVE to spend money on the not obvious things. Lastly, this was the time when outsourcing hit the big time but that is all about saving money too.
If you doubt the problems of outsourcing, look at what happened once govt started doing it too!
SeenItAll I could not agree more, I often cite Bethune and that book in this forum. BUT, the difference with CO then was that they were bankrupt. They had reached the very bottom and had nowhere else to go and that focus' minds. Until BA reaches that stage, I suggest that serious change cannot happen.