Johnson Controls – “Three days for an answer turns into three weeks for a conversation”

Pros

Well respected company in the right industry (energy efficiency) at the right time, with some excellent product and service capabilities, and some great people in the field.

Cons

I was working for York International when Johnson Controls purchased the company. York was a flat organization which enabled it to make decisions or provide answers quickly. JCI has so many layers of management that it once took three weeks to get a conference call scheduled with three levels of management to discuss an issue, and another week for a decision. At York, I was able to get an answer for a more complex issue in three days. When you are dealing with major customers that are used to getting a quick response, 3-4 weeks doesn't cut it.

Advice to Senior Management

Provide account managers for national or strategic accounts with the authority and accountability to make decisions that can impact the customer relationship and experience. At the very least, give them direct access to the management level with the authority to make a decision about an issue.