Airlines Reporting Corporation Reviews

Pros

Environment, Benefits, Size, Location, People

Cons

Technology needs some refreshing, Time to Market

Pros

Basic business is unique. No other company could hope to have such a good data source. The company is managed like a big family which is great if you are liked and in the "right" crowd.

Cons

It is one big family and those who are the ugly step sisters are on the outs. Compensation is based on popularity rather than performance. Top management claims to want to change the culture to a more market/business model. however those hired to bring about business change with best practces or education are marginalized or villified.

Pros

Work from home option is good

Cons

management is backstabbing and only interested in covering their own behinds

Advice to Senior Management

start over

Pros

ARC is an interesting place to work. As the settlement organization between airlines and travel agents and online travel sites, it holds a lot of valuable data that many organizations use to understand the airline industry. On the whole, the employees are friendly and all of the executive team members are very approachable, from the President and CEO to the VPs. The company also puts a lot of emphasis on staying healthy, rewarding employees who get good marks on health screening for blood pressure, colesterol, etc. Benefits include flying on major airlines at a very reduced rates for both the employee and his/her immediate family. And, the new facility in Arlington-Clarendon is extremely nice...though it does have off and on technical problems.

Cons

Like many companies, ARC is going through a change both in the products it sells and the culture it is aspiring to establish. New products are just coming to market and will test if the company can make money outside of its core settlement business. At this point, it is still a question. Although there is a new CEO, many legacy traits still exist. First, decisions at many levels that affect others are made in silos. Many times people who have major actions to perform or act as a support function are brought into the process mid-stream, which can hinder success. Culturally (although the company, much to its credit, has been trying to move away from this,) there tends to be a cliquish nature within the company by longer-term employees with very little interest in embracing the newer ones...even if they work in the same department or team. It's also interesting to note that some of these cliquish employees are are ones who speak loudest about changing the culture away from this cultural characteristic.

Advice to Senior Management

Although the monthly staff meetings are fine, I would suggest that senior management walk the floors and show interest in the jobs individual people do, let them know how important their work is, and thank them for the job they're doing. Sometimes that's all you need to make employees feel good and want to work even harder. And it doesn't cost anything.

Pros

Flex Time
Work at Home option

Cons

Ready, Fire, Aim mentality
Management points fingers, doesn't take responsibility

Advice to Senior Management

Own your issues.

Pros

Benefits, Salary, Work-life balance, Time off, Business travel

Cons

Vague vision for company, Not sure where company is going ,Siloed divisions, Lack of communication

Pros

Individual contributors are above average
Flex time is satisfactory
President knows who you are...No,. Really, he has personally memorized over 500 names

Cons

Dog eat dog mentality by senior management
Don't follow own values
Short memories among management, makes same mistakes ...over and over and over and.....
Advancement by who you know....
HR needs lots of work

Advice to Senior Management

Take a look at the executive team member to your left and to your right....chances are they either want your job....or thinking about someone else to replace you

Pros

Some of the reasons to work for Airlines Reporting Corporation include:
1. You are currently in the travel industry and thus understand the business models and motivations
2. Slow unorganized growth does not bother you
3. You are at a point in your career where an aggressive forward moving environment is not your priority
4. The benefits package is good including teleworking schedule, 401k matching, low insurance premiums, standby airline passes, etc

Cons

1. No accountability
2. Low focus on customers
3. Great deal of politics that restricts the company from moving forward
4. Avoidance of decision making by all levels of management
5. Passive aggressive environment

Advice to Senior Management

Focus on the customer
Create any level of accountability and enforce it
Be realistic about the market and the economy
Pay attention to the type of employee that you are looking to recruit and the employees that constantly choose to leave the company, they are one in the same.