I have been in BMO for many years. Back in the day, we were a good company with a good reputation and had many customers that loved us and were loyal. There were 20+ men in our dept and we could have used more.
Then the first thing they did wrong, was rather than increase trip charge and labor gradually, oh no, they jump trips from $75 to $110 and labor from $85hr to $150hr. That warmed everyone right up to us. That was the beginning of the end.
Then, send letters out telling customers we are discontinuing selling this and that brand PBX, When they just spend thousands, hundreds of thousands and even millions on one. We arent talking a couple hundred customers, we are talking thousands. Then to add insult to injury, they approach these people and try to sell them another new system to replace the one there is nothing wrong with, that they just bought, except we don't want to sell it anymore. We all know how that went.
Then came the first layoffs because people started leaving because of price and shedding brands. Then, customers started saying, we love you guys and your service, but hate your pricing.
Next, we charged too much and couldn't provide timely sevice because of staff shortage. More customers left. Then it became, we love you guys but hate your company and poor service. More customers left, more layoffs. Eventually all but a couple customers left as maintenance contracts expired and competitors took advantage of our high prices and poor service. Only those with no choice stayed.
Then, when things hit rock bottom, someone decides we want to sell CPE again and try to be a real company again. But it's too little too late.
Now, there are a couple techs left in each area and no customers. None. Even those with rose colored glasses have come to realize we are finished. We sell nothing. We can't. Heck, we don't even have sales people. Oh yeah, they will tell you we do, but you never see them. Dialtone customers have no idea who their rep is because every time they call an order in, the previous rep is gone because he or she couldn't meet sales numbers. Noooo, go figure. Have a potential customer ask them to send the sales rep out to show them equipment and see what happens. Crickets.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out these level 3 guys aren't going to pay techs to do nothing once they can figure out how to shed the couple governmental customers that have maintenance customers they have to have someone available to respond to. Contractors would make the most sense.
Luckily, i do not need to look for a job because i am old enough to retire. I am just hanging in here hoping to get a package, which would just be a bonus. I feel bad for the younger guys who were hoping to get a career here.