Honest thoughts.
16 replies (most recent on top)
Staples paid millions of dollars to BCG on strategies that have been repeated over and over again. Rinse and repeat. The new leaders think these are new ideas. That’s why they fire everyone that has been around for years so their ideas seem new. Nothing groundbreaking or anything that will differentiate Staples to set themselves apart. Get out and look for something new. The opportunities are out there and everyone I have talked to that has left the company on their own accord or as part of a rif is happier, less stressed and making more money. I am one of those lucky ones that left on my own terms and it was the best decision for my career and my work life balance. The CCO is unimpressive. No original or fresh idea and appears completely clueless when in front of a room. Doesn’t come close to filling the shoes of any of the years previous leaders that have been forced out or left on their own. The contract business will continue to decline and retail and .com have been a sinking ship for years. Hope that Amazon buys you and you have a chance to become relevant again. That will be your only hope. You can’t compete, the public has spoken and Staples isn’t easy to do business with and there is no value prop. GTM - would love to know what was so groundbreaking about talking to more customers on a more regular basis. The outside reps at best work a 30 hour work week and that is being generous. The inside teams are being led by VPs that could care less about their teams and could not be less engaged. Marketing. How many times are those groups going to reorganize and execute on anything that actually drives sales? Interested to see what Sergio does in his new role. He seems to have done a decent job with Quill over the years although his team has badmouthed Staples for years and fought over customers. Staples going public again, better chance of winning the lottery. It will be stripped down and sold off. Piece by piece.
GTM has not played out well. Our company fails to realize and change the weightier matters at hand i.e. competiting .com vs. SA websites, poor search engines, delivery issues, legacy systems used internally, processes, delivery issues and on and on. We don't need another magazine of the Loop we need real change and to evolve as a company. Times are changing and we have to as well.
Yea, BB is a big tool. As is RG. Failure is monumental with those fools in charge.
GTM is and was another horrible decision that k–led the inside teams.
When will they make changes on the inside? Directors and up the chain? The level of incompetence is staggering. How does BB still have a job? RG? Come on people, finish the job.
Preach!!!
agree w/ most of what is said but absolutely cannot let SP off, they are merciless blood sucahs, they did not try to reorganize or turn anything around. when they die they sould be buried face down so they are heading in the right direction.
Played out like a power move from the Outside Sales Organization towards the Inside Sales Organization.
WM is a horses behind. Always has been. Same guy that traveled around the country showing pictures of his family at their mansion while blaming the field teams for all of Staples problems. He and the "leaders" like him and the scores of s— ups that have made careers off of him and the other clowns are the reason Staples is where it is. SP and SD are just the result of years of those a- hats in leadership roles.
Actually it was 2012 that the foolishness was introduced to the Texas sales team...the most recent iteration is latest bad business decision and failure
Thanksgiving of 2014 Texas VP WM stated "Relationships between the customer and sales rep didn't matter" and switched accounts between reps. He was going to write a book about how revolutionary it was. Never saw the book and both customers and reps suffered.
It was a little over a year ago. It was a complete cluster. They thought by assigning reps to a geographical area, that rep would understand the market and competition. Wrong. They took accounts from everyone and re-assisted Some from inside to outside and vice versa. Customers were upset and by this time most seasoned reps left. So, the green reps got customers even more p-ss-d so the customers left too. Typical Staples way! It was a way to give everyone is sales a HUGE pay cut!
Wasn’t go to market tried ages and years ago? If I recall, it was another desperation moved it throwing c-ap on the wall and see if it sticks
Agree that they have given what investor's need to take a look when they go public but it's on the back os sales and margin rich customers.
Has made it so no ITAM can make a living. Tire marks all down our backs. Horrible what they have done to customers and the front lines.
The building is on fire at Staples and WB Mason and the rest of the independent supplier across the country. Sell, merge or watch Amazon destroy you to nothing.
GTM played out...so I GTFO.