Better service? Roger that!
‘We’ve neglected our customers,’ CEO says amid regime shakeup
Rogers Communications Inc. is overhauling its management structure to tackle its customer turnover problem, the first time its new chief executive Guy Laurence has presented a detailed plan for the communications and media giant.
Laurence, a former Vodafone U.K. executive who joined Rogers in December, on Friday unveiled a new regime, which includes highprofile departures and a different role for the daughter of the company’s late founder, Ted Rogers.
This multi-year plan includes creating a separate consumer unit, and all customer experience functions such as call centres and online channels will be consolidated into one team reporting to Rogers’ chief executive.
“Every day I marvel at what an amazing company Ted built,” Laurence said in a statement on Friday. “The mix of assets, the culture of innovation and depth of employee pride is extraordinary. But we’ve neglected our customers, and we’ve let our legacy of growth and innovation slip.
“The plan I’ve laid out will significantly improve the experience for our customers and re-establish our growth by better leveraging our assets.”
The restructuring brings in former BlackBerry marketing chief Frank Boulben as Rogers’ chief strategy officer and head of strategy, wholesale and development.
Boulben previously worked at Vodafone Group, serving as global director of commercial strategy. He replaces Melinda M. Rogers, daughter of Ted Rogers. She served as Rogers’ senior vicepresident, strategy and develop- ments, since October 2006. She remains on the company’s board of directors.
Meanwhile, Rob Bruce, president of communications at Rogers who was named as head of the consumer business unit, decided to leave, the company said. He has agreed to help Laurence with the transition until the end of the year, it added.
Phil Lind, Rogers’ executive vicepresident of regulatory and vicechairman — who Laurence named as head of corporate affairs — previously had announced his plan to retire at the end of 2014. However, he will remain on the board of directors and the Rogers control trust and will stay for at least three more years in an advisory capacity, Rogers said.