XO Holdings Reviews

Pros

easy job placement and interview process

Cons

permanent jobs limited and few professional positions

Advice to Senior Management

find more permanent contracts

Pros

Recent reorganization (Oct 2011 - present) resulted from an internal review that concluded that "we gotta change, and fast." Resulting (approx 10%) RIF will help "the numbers." New leadership team (acting CEO, combined VP of Sales for Carrier and Business Services, other senior leadership realignment) has the potential to make positive impact in 2012.

Cons

XO has struggled in the shadow of its Chairman since he brought them out of bankruptcy. Sales have been flat for years, raises nonexistent for over three years. Sales rep turnover in Business Services has always been a huge problem - about 40% annually- despite concentrated efforts to improve on this. Sales management is a core weakness - there are few really good ones in the company. Latest RIF seemed to have political overtones, as many good people were terminated while marginal ones were retained - a real morale downer.

Advice to Senior Management

Listen to your people - they know what they are doing - do you? Set reasonable expectations, and measure against them. Reduce the number of systems currently deployed. Invest in the resources necessary to provide meaningful and effective training to all that need it.

Pros

The company is flexible when time for time off. The opportunities for training have been numerous. The work environment is laid back.

Cons

The company was consolidated their business services and carrier entities. The praise has been for business services even though carrier services brings in a majority of the revenue. It appears management is tone deaf.

Advice to Senior Management

Value your employees, so you can retain talent. For example, you will not retain talent if you don't give regular raises.

Pros

Telecommuting, great technology, poor processes.

Cons

Systems and processes are broken. They are investing in technology and laying off people.

Advice to Senior Management

Management always talk about customer satisfaction but I have not seen any practical implications where customer satisfaction is top priority.

Pros

Salary is very good. Benefits are exceptional which includes a paid health day to get a yearly check up. Professional atmosphere. Amazing support with sales prospects and current customers.

Cons

Job security. XO does a vast firing once a year. The firing was 10% (400 employees) this year.

Pros

Flexible time, work from home, few demands on personal time allowing for great work/life balance.

Cons

In IT there is a culture of doing the minimum amount of work possible. Few people care about delivering any good product and those few are at worst limited by others and at best unrewarded for rising above.

Advice to Senior Management

Don't be satisfied with average or less than average. Don't talk about "Excellence" as a core value if you are not prepared to make changes to pursue it. Evaluate talent and recognize the main contributers. Reward them. Give them greater challenges and more opportunities to solve problems.

Pros

XO owns a great network and has great people. Provides flexible work hours and telecommuting opportunities.

Cons

The owners need to invest more in the employees, processes and systems so it's easier to deliver quality services quickly for our customers. XO is it's own greatest obstacle. Poor benefits coverage and no raises the last four years.

Advice to Senior Management

Listen to the needs of the employees.

Pros

The technology was cutting edge. The people are smart. The compensation was pretty good. Pre-sales engineers were smart and good when they were available.

Cons

Not much support from sales management. Lots of abuse. Directors don't care. Engineering and support people were cut hard in layoffs.

Advice to Senior Management

Recruit management better.

Pros

Good Technology. Flexible timing. Nice people.

Cons

Too much process. No communication.

Pros

Co-workers were great, always willing to help and focus on team effort.

Cons

Sales Management in my market was terrible. Non supportive of the sales staff, it was like pulling teeth to get them to join a rep on a sales call.

Advice to Senior Management

Get Sales Managers who know how to manage and drive business.