OnStar Reviews in Detroit, MI Area

Pros

The People and The Technology

Cons

No career path
No career training
Favoritism in promotions

Advice to Senior Management

Stop the favoritism

Pros

OnStar has had a great history. It was one of the pioneers of the telematics industry. General Motors didn't know what to do with their little project and let it die. They brought in a PR guy as president and he is driving the company into the ground. People are leaving the company in droves. Unfortunately it is most of the good people. The only good ones left are stuck here because our houses are underwater and we have families.

Cons

Management is out of touch with their employees
No strategic direction
Management is letting competitors eat their lunch

Advice to Senior Management

Wake up. Pick a direction. Rally the troops who are left and atleast put up a fight.

Pros

Few People are very dedicated and make the programs work.

Cons

Most of the people are useless. Dont know how the business works. Are not good technically.
Never seem to get any projects wtih any deliverables. These people still continue to work for over 10 years and management does not do anything.

Most of the work is handed over to a few SME and technical people to do.. And if you are technical, forget any chances to grow. Only work comes your way. No recognition and no growth potential..

Advice to Senior Management

Get rid of the slackers. Spread the work around. Provide more visibility to the technical staff. T

Pros

Not many processes in place. Opportunity to be creative and put processes in place.

Cons

Clickish environment. Lack of educational degrees in management resulting in poor management skills. Lack of management support for subordinants.

Advice to Senior Management

Be more supportive. Recognize your employees who really do the work. Be equal to all your employees regardless of race, sex, or if you hang out with them after work!

Pros

OnStar is a fantastic product - something everybody can get behind
Cutting edge telematics - no real competition in the auto industry
We make a difference in people's lives every day

Cons

GM is a miserable employer recently - bad news after bad news
OnStar management is cut from the GM cloth - poor / slow decisions are the norm
In the midst of a major revamp of OnStar applications the business cannot stop themselves for asking for more (trivial) enhancements
Very cut-throat environment - swim with the sharks are become chum

Advice to Senior Management

We need our leaders to lead - not take weeks to get a consensus
Make a decision and run with it for at least 6 months before second guessing yourselves
Either revamp the existing system or create new features - not both simultaneously
Stand up to GM and demand more headcount to support one of the only profitable business units