So when are the layoffs coming, and who will be affected? Surely they are coming.
12 replies (most recent on top)
"Best insurance against a layoff is to be a net revenue generator."
That's a merit-based argument. It's a cult of personality -- there's no recognition of merit there.
Your best insurance against a layoff is to be a member of the lucky sp--m club.
"SAS is not 'messaging' any of it. SAS is blundering on its merry way as usual, oblivious to what customers need or what the market wants. SAS knows better than customers and the market."
Company apparatchiks take the slogan "The Power to Know" very seriously. The customers and the market? Not so much.
SAS is not 'messaging' any of it. SAS is blundering on its merry way as usual, oblivious to what customers need or what the market is wants. SAS knows better than customers and the market.
"When it is time for the customer to sign a renewal, say "oh by the way, we no longer offer support" and observe whether they sign."
Experienced that as a customer of x-x software. Cessation of support for x-x was announced well before the announced cessation date. Post cessation date, we still signed and kept laying the bill. Why? Because we were not yet ready to pull the plug on x-x. Getting rid of software is like treating cancer. Once it metastasizes, the battle becomes much more difficult.
Even the most loyal SAS customers must be nervous. They have valid reasons to feel that way. First, the age of the founders is near the average life expectancy age. Second, Open Source is making huge inroads. Third, the Viya answer SAS had for Open Source is not a hit. And fourth, the secession plan is a sale or IPO.
Any one of those reasons alone would cause concern. All four of the reasons occuring concurrently makes it a five alarm fire. Ouch.
How is SAS handling the messaging of this?
@1izd+1umZJ7Ls, @1wtv+1umZJ7Ls
Yes, it would be nice if we were all "net revenue generators" but few in Marketing actually are. If you're not making software or selling software, you're support.
I say that support is in fact a net-revenue-generator. If you do not believe me, then try a simple experiment. When it is time for the customer to sign a renewal, say "oh by the way, we no longer offer support" and observe whether they sign.
wouldn't really call anyone except someone who gets the buyer to sign a "revenue generator". marketing, finance, HR, IT, success/support, QA, even dev (someone barely keeping a "loser" product going or writing viya code isn't generating revenue, either. lots of people causing "burn rate" to no end). but you cannot fire everyone and only have "closers". that doesn't make sense, either. marketing is always the easiest target, but there is plenty of waste that will get cut. don't lie to yourself - if you are in that category, do what you can while you can to build your career or prep for retirement / layoffs.
completely changing the topic 180, one thing I always liked about SAS is having the "special needs" workers in the cafe or elsewhere.
Re: “Lots of talk about change”
Interesting… anything more specific?
"If there are other realistic options, please reply with them."
SAS should merge with SAS Shoes and/or Scandinavian Airlines
There is also a sense in which the current marketing crew “can’t win” at SAS.
The company has not created new technology that is being embraced by the market. Therefore attempts to “strategize” are hamstrung before a campaign or initiative can even get off the ground (smart executives would realize this and sh-t-can the whole GCC endeavor). Although slowly declining in renewal revenue, many if not most of the traditional SAS9 products are now in the “cash-cow“ category and don’t really need much marketing — so marketing folks who support them are stuck with a stale skill set.
Sadly, this spiral of doom will continue until a buyer for SAS comes along and just lets the revenue stream slowly bleed out, OR drastic and radical cuts are made to free up a significant portion of the legacy revenue stream to generate capital for the creation of new niche products under the auspices of mostly brand new teams, with the right product, design management professionals and a new class of engineers.
The best of current engineering talent will be needed to support the legacy revenue, Stream and help integrate existing infrastructure/service technology that could support new products and get them to market faster.
In one scenario SAS slowly dies, and in the other (after major and painful “surgery”/rehab) it has a chance of survival and possibly even thriving at some point down the road. If there are other realistic options, please reply with them.
Best insurance against a layoff is to be a net revenue generator. That may not be the most exciting work at SAS but it is the best insurance against being laid off. That has always been true but more true now than ever before.
If you are working in an area that other companies traditionally outsource, make a plan...
If you are working on a loser product, make a plan...
If founders TRULY want to sell/ipo before end of 2025, make a plan...
Good luck to all!
I think it depends on if the leaders are serious about meeting the year end goals they set, or not.
Be afraid if your title has "Strategist" in it, amirite?