Norfolk
You have no idea how this crisis afected Electrolux.
If that meeting mentioned above had happened 20 years ago, today Maytag would be an Electrolux brand and maybe Whirlpool would be only in our memories.
Electrolux started the project Electroluxusa some time before whirlmanaidtag case.
The original idea was increase the margin between Whirlpool and Electrolux.
Well, then whirlpool started to open it's pocket and buy everything they could see in front of them and Electrolux had to change the original plan and spend much more to recover the status of world's manufacturer. (and the Electroluxusa project got an injection of rocket fuel.)
The idea was create a huge nightmare to whirlpool. in one hand, Whirlpool with it's arrogance and poor crap, in other hand, Electrolux making things to match exactly the consumer's needs and offering excellent prices.
There was going to have other products, including a washer-dryer combo and small appliances, even the return of a brand in the US and three new brands in Latin America.
Whirlpool would beg Electrolux to stop.
After some billions of dollars invested, the crisis suddenly arrived a few months after the launch of the Electrolux brand in the US..
Things that one could never imagine, just happened.
During my career at Electrolux I never had to worry about my job and i've never seen any of my colleagues worried too.
Suddenly I turn on the tv and i see on the news that Electrolux closed a plant in Europe. OMG what's going on? Electrolux just closes a plant when it's not profitable or there are significant incentives in other region, but they always try to transfer ALL of the workers and their families. seeing thousands of workers being fired at the same time was as shocking as the images of 9/11 attacks.
at that moment, the fist thing i thought was what would be Hans doing. he allows himself an emotional feeling for every single worker. Each one of the fired workers would be painful like loosing a son. He loves that company more than his family and he loves each oe of the workers more than himself.
This highlighted love he always demonstrated was the key to help putting down the fire. Like always, the leader gave the motivation and the example. His first attitude was cutting 100% of his salary. He's working for free, receiving only a little help. Many workers decided to follow him and do the same, offering their salaries to save the colleagues jobs. It saved thousands of jobs and at least three more plants in europe.
second attitude was start putting things on it's place after the earthquake. Time to cleanup, restore, recreate and adapt to the new condition.
Many former workers decided to go back and give some help. I remember my friend John was here in Brazil. I have made a promess a few years ago, NEVER GO BACK TO APPLIANCES INDUSTRY! I remember we were at the duty free shop in argentina, having a cup of coffee and I was talking about the wonderful years at Electrolux and all the incentives they gave me. That moment was magic and accidentally helped me to decide to call my colleagues and let them know I was available to go back for free too. Electroux helped me many times. They payed my college extention course and they never asked me a cent back. Now they need a little help, why not help? I'm old, I'm very rusted, but I remember I know every inch of the four plants I've worked, I still remember how to use a nankin pen and a compass. I remember how to make a clay model and if neceary I know how to operate every one of the production machines, from the screwdriver to the steel press.
all the other workers focused even more on Electrolux best thing: the efficiency. reduce quality control reprovals would save lots of money. reduce warranty services would save even more. We're not selling so much, so we can speed the production lines, fill the stocks and close the plant for one or two days. millions of dollars saved on electricity, water, transport and catering around the world.
yes honney, even catering. if we consider only a glass of juice, that's nothing. but when we put together ALL the workers from all the plants round the world, we discover we need some olimpic swimming pools full of juice to be served in a single lunch.
Nobody complained. everybody loved it.
And it worked! Electrolux is almost 100% recovered from the world crisis. It wasn't necessary my help, but the knew I was available if necessary. The help i always gave and will always give is recommend Electrolux Appliances and insist like an Herbalife seller.
I know the product, I know who made it. and I know that "thinking of you" is much more than a slogan. Every time I see an electrolux appliance made in a plant that I know, I try to imagine every part of it being made. One of Cleanteam's videos (or pictures, i don't remember) shows him reflected on the dial. It's so nice to know that I passed in front of the machine that makes that knob two or three times a day. were the two operators that make that knob chatting about their families, the latest gossip or completely silent, focused on the job? That wonderful noise of the safety grill closing and opening, the compressed air ejecting them from the mould. the noise of the knob being thrown on the container together with other 49 "sisters". That wonderful noise of the pneumatic screwdrivers "simphony" created when the operators decide to sinchronize their screws, making "screwdriver remix" of popular songs we all know.
Next time you see an Electrolux appliance, remember more than 60 people touched it and almost 400 were involved with its project, construction, or transport. Some parts may come from countries that we have no idea where it is. Remember your appliance was nothing more than a huge roll of steel and a bag of plastic beans and now it has a soul created by each one of the members of The electrolux family.
If you open an electrolux appliance and find an internal part with a hand written date and the signature of the operator who did it. that's not an internal control as electrolux uses bar codes. all the operators are allowed to do that if it's not visible and won't make them loose the pace just to give some personality to the products. that's "thinking of you" too.
now back from other boring nostalgic moment: when ElectroluxUSA appliances were launched, we would never imagine the crisis. it was a disaster but the team did their job and we all can see a strong light by the end of the tunnel.
I'm also very optimistic with Mr. Obama's solutions. Soon, not only the american companies and citizens, but the whole world will be freed from this crisis the same way Electrolux got free.
and when it happens, you'll see the products cheaper and all the consumers will consider the electrolux brand, just a little bit more expensive than "the other brand", but much better.
