Da-Lite Reviews

Pros

Da-Lite really does have the best product in their business. I have yet to see anyone make a projection screen as well as they do, and that includes looking at their competitors like Stewart, Draper and Elite. Elite has the potential if they can work out a few quality issues to give them a run for their money though.

There is also a good training program, when it is done properly. They seem to understand that almost no one goes into this industry knowing about their products. When done properly they have a tight 10 week training program that covers all products and processes in the office. Unfortunately the trainers have many other responsibilities and can rarely do it properly, dragging it out months longer.

Cons

Completely unrealistic expectations and absolutely no regard for the employees at all. They expect you to do anything a customer asks and then get upset at you for costing the company money.

It is expected that you put in all overtime necessary - as long as you are salaried. Hourly employees are allowed no overtime but once I was salaried a 70 hour work week became the norm. When I questioned a schedule that had me working 12 hours a day, plus weekends I was just told that we needed to work hard and that they needed people that "bleed the Da-Lite Blue". Burnout is common and turnover is high meaning that they never get the levels of customer service they claim to have.

Lastly most upper management has absolutely no respect for the people working for them, even though they are doing jobs they could never do. I once overheard the Executive Vice President walking through the office saying "..let them quit if they want to and see if they can find another job in this economy!"

Advice to Senior Management

Realize that much of your staff is overworked, and that they do care and want the company to succeed. Take some basic communication courses so that, at the very least, your disdain for those working for you will be somewhat masked. And try to respond to the changing AV world by actually developing something new, instead of just renaming an old product and hoping people won't notice. If you don't, the company will not last another 100 years.

Pros

Good independance in doing job, decent salary as of 2009, decent benefits

Cons

poor communication from management, poor attitude towards employees, poor way of treating employeees, poor decisoin making of management

Advice to Senior Management

listen to employees treat them better