Hello Sunfish,
The link to the Qantas wine guide no longer works. I was curious to read it because a month ago I travelled Melb-Perth with Qantas economy.
I had a red wine (well some of it) with the meal. 10 minutes later I handed it back to the FA. "Is there something wrong sir"? Umm, well, its horrid.. "Yes, its not very nice is it"!!!
FA returns 5 minutes later with a different red. "Try this one sir".
5 minutes later Octane uses call button (I rarely use it, don't like to disturb staff)
Octane: Can I have a beer please, hands back another horrid wine....
A week later I get an email request to complete a customer "dissatification" survey from Q.
In the comments part I wrote, "Australia is awash with cheap good quality wine of all varieties, why do you insist on serving cr^p wine in economy?" Didn't bother asking why the red is always chilled with the white..
Sunfish, I read your IT story with a sense of deja vous...
I was once employed at a large multinational. All was good until they employed a youngish "On the move, smooth talking, walk the walk, talk the talk" type manager with rather poor technical skills. Over a period of time the staff who ensured they lunched with her got the better appraisals. Me and some of the others who did the bulk of the work were too busy to take leisurely 1 hour lunches. I was labelled "not a team player". I too resigned not long after.
About a year later, the bean counters decided the lab need "restructuring". As staff left or were promoted (the latter the lunch goers of course) they were replaced by "outsourced" contract employees on less money, no holiday pay, sick pay etc. You know who managed to organise herself a cosy redundancy..
Now 10 years down the track all the lab workers are contractors earning absurdly low money. They have no career potential with the company, are disgruntled and frankly have little interest in their work. The good ones come and go ASAP and the indifferent ones stay so over time the calibre of staff is falling.
I saw all this unfold because a few weeks after I left I got a call from the 2nd in command ("she" would not talk to me), they were in trouble and needed my help, on their terms. Nope, not interested. Another call a week later, "please,we're desparate". OK, then alright then, but on my terms. I worked there another 15 years as a specialist on 3 times the money they offered. Tossers.........
So, a large multinational is putting their reputation on the line because they are too lousy to invest in a professional, dedicated and contented workforce in the lab, all to save a few measly bucks. One major QC screwup has the potential to cost the company millions of dollars or worse, let alone the cost of loss of reputation. What a bunch of lunatics...........
AJ, I hope you and your mates read this thread, be warned.
Then again, you probably don't give a rat's tail....
I would not be buying Q shares.
Cheers
Octane