Amazon CEO spends a week working the warehouse.

2009-03-28 08:47:47

#1

Macbeth: Banned; +2,444|5888

Guardian wrote:
Amazon chief Jeff Bezos has been finding out first-hand what it's like to work in one of the online retailer's giant distribution centres, by spending a week on the shopfloor.

The lucky warehouse - or as Amazon calls it "fulfillment center" [sic] - is on Mercer Road in Lexington, Kentucky - about 2,470 miles from Amazon's headquarters in Seattle. (It's OK, it would only take a day and a half to drive, thinks Google.)

Google Nostalgia - sorry, Street View - suggests it's sunny. And large. And flat. And quite a distance from anywhere else.

Amazon declined requests from the local paper for an interview: "Unfortunately, I'm not going to be able to arrange any interviews or photos this week while he is in Lexington," said a spokeswoman. "He is there to work."

And you know what Amazon is like about work in its warehouses. Back in April 2001, the Guardian noted that the retailer had been accused of running "the worst of old economy working practices" by staff in the UK. They said "pickers" were forced to select three items per minute from shelves, and "packers" to parcel on average 5 orders every two minutes, on 11-hour shifts from 7.30pm to 6.30am which included an unpaid one-hour meal break at 1am - in a place with no canteen.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/bl … _loves_you
So what are your thoughts? PR stunt or the CEO trying to get better understanding of his workers?

2009-03-28 08:48:47

#2

usmarine: Banned; +2,785|7064

total PR

2009-03-28 08:58:31

#3

chittydog: less busy; +586|7137|Kubra, Damn it!

usmarine wrote:
total PR

Yup. If you broke down that guy's salary + bonuses into an hourly rate, they probably could've hired 50 people to come in and work that week.

2009-03-28 09:00:43

#4

S.Lythberg: Mastermind; +429|6749|Chicago, IL

chittydog wrote:
usmarine wrote:
total PR
Yup. If you broke down that guy's salary + bonuses into an hourly rate, they probably could've hired 50 people to come in and work that week.

more like 500

if he had dressed up as an immigrant and not notified the supervisors i'd be more impressed.

2009-03-28 09:03:34

#5

Christbane: Member; +51|6537

PR all the way, he does not give a shit about them. im sure they dont mind employee turnover on such an easy job, then they dont have any of those pesky long term employees who start to demand more money and benifits.

2009-03-28 09:23:02

#6

mikkel: Member; +383|6904

"fulfillment center" [sic]

[sic]?

2009-03-28 09:52:06

#7

Harmor: Error_Name_Not_Found; +605|6851|San Diego, CA, USA

usmarine wrote:
total PR

Perhaps the CEOs at the Big Three Automakers should learnt this before asking for bailout money?

2009-03-28 09:53:30

#8

phishman420: Banned; +821|5983

this shit isnt even ee worthy

2009-03-28 10:05:17

#9

henno13: A generally unremarkable member; +230|6651|Belfast

reminds me of the 'First Dinner Lady"

2009-03-28 10:06:00

#10

Karbin: Member; +42|6597

Harmor wrote:
usmarine wrote:
total PR
Perhaps the CEOs at the Big Three Automakers should learnt this before asking for bailout money?

I know just the job too.

75 lbs of carpet en-placed, rolled out, tapped down. All in 42 seconds, 462 times a shift.

2009-03-29 16:06:27

#11

BN: smells like wee wee; +159|7070

If it was a PR stunt there would be press, photographers, interviews etc

2009-03-29 16:44:24

#12

mikkel: Member; +383|6904

BN wrote:
If it was a PR stunt there would be press, photographers, interviews etc

So far there's press and interviews with people close to him. He knows he'll get the attention. He doesn't need photographs to prove it.

2009-03-29 16:49:12

#13

Uzique: dasein.; +2,865|6773

Yah, as said above- total PR. There's a genuine benefit in all mid-large size businesses in letting the admins/bureacratic wankstains/plushy executives and strategists work within the actual processes and schemes that they plan and shape. Gives a tangible experience, some intuition and a general clue of how things work practically, etc. Everyone's aware of it, business #101. Pretty good for moral and workplace ethics/lifestyle too. But this is just a wanky PR stunt: clearly leaked or notified to press, clearly only gritting out a week because he feels it'll improve his image or his company image, and clearly understands that every column inch is a giant recruitment advertisement.

Plus, the negative publicity that they have received in the UK/EU for their practices simply over-rules this and shines a thoroughly skeptical light on all the shit they pull. Having said that, I love Amazon and their service and could honestly care less whether or not they achieve such a good method of business through Dickensian-workhouse or Asian-sweatshop means.

_{libertarian benefit collector - anti-academic super-intellectual}. _{http://mixlr.com/the-little-phrase/}

2009-03-29 19:13:43

#14

BN: smells like wee wee; +159|7070

mikkel wrote:
BN wrote:
If it was a PR stunt there would be press, photographers, interviews etc
So far there's press and interviews with people close to him. He knows he'll get the attention. He doesn't need photographs to prove it.

people close to him? I am sure he doesn't control their news cycle.

Does anyone know anything about PR here?

Cameras, quotes from the source, sound bites, press releases, 143 journalists, photos of CEO with kids planting trees. That's PR. This is a story that has no quotes from him, no photos of him. If this was engineered by a PR company then they should be sacked and amazon ask for their money back.

Get a grip you lot.

2009-03-30 03:20:13

#15

Spark: liquid fluoride thorium reactor; +874|6977|Canberra, AUS

mikkel wrote:
"fulfillment center" [sic]
[sic]?

I was wondering that too. It's sometimes spelt with one l, but usually I see it with two...

The paradox is only a conflict between reality and your feeling what reality ought to be.
^{~ Richard Feynman}

2009-03-30 10:53:04

#16

mikkel: Member; +383|6904

BN wrote:
mikkel wrote:
BN wrote:
If it was a PR stunt there would be press, photographers, interviews etc
So far there's press and interviews with people close to him. He knows he'll get the attention. He doesn't need photographs to prove it.
people close to him? I am sure he doesn't control their news cycle.

That doesn't mean he's ignorant of it.

BN wrote:
Does anyone know anything about PR here?

Cameras, quotes from the source, sound bites, press releases, 143 journalists, photos of CEO with kids planting trees. That's PR. This is a story that has no quotes from him, no photos of him. If this was engineered by a PR company then they should be sacked and amazon ask for their money back.

Get a grip you lot.

Do you know anything about PR? This story has been carried by most major media so far, and he didn't even have to cheap himself out and alienate himself from anyone with half a brain by doing it the stereotypical way. All he's alienating himself from are the people who see through the guise, and all he has to do is work in a warehouse for a week. That's about as cheap as PR comes. I doubt that a PR company was involved, but if one was, they did their job well.

Last edited by mikkel (2009-03-30 10:56:18)

2009-03-30 17:37:48

#17

BN: smells like wee wee; +159|7070

mikkel wrote:
Do you know anything about PR?

Yes, worked in it successfully for 8 years.

PR is about getting your message across in a controlled manner. You do that through interviews, photo ops, speeches, literature, blogs, etc. THIS HAS NONE OF THOSE. Not a PR event.

Made my points above again and they are all valid.

2009-03-30 17:50:28

#18

Harmor: Error_Name_Not_Found; +605|6851|San Diego, CA, USA

BN wrote:
mikkel wrote:
Do you know anything about PR?
Yes, worked in it successfully for 8 years.

PR is about getting your message across in a controlled manner. You do that through interviews, photo ops, speeches, literature, blogs, etc. THIS HAS NONE OF THOSE. Not a PR event.

Made my points above again and they are all valid.

Perhaps its an employee morale issue? I mean maybe they have a hiring and salary freeze?

2009-03-31 00:50:17

#19

mikkel: Member; +383|6904

BN wrote:
mikkel wrote:
Do you know anything about PR?
Yes, worked in it successfully for 8 years.

Sorta sad that you don't recognise it when you see it then.

BN wrote:
PR is about getting your message across in a controlled manner. You do that through interviews, photo ops, speeches, literature, blogs, etc. THIS HAS NONE OF THOSE. Not a PR event.

Strict control is not in any way a prerequisite for public relations. You don't need photo ops, speeches, literature or blogs to get the message out. Clearly interviews in this case have been enough. The purpose and definition of public relations is to maintain a good corporate image. That's it. That's what is very obviously being attempted here.

BN wrote:
Made my points above again and they are all valid.

Unfortunately, they aren't.

BF2S Forums Amazon CEO spends a week working the warehouse.

Guardian wrote:

usmarine wrote:

chittydog wrote:

usmarine wrote:

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Harmor wrote:

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BN wrote:

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