Is Nokia’s Management Insane?
The Trader usually doesn’t comment on specific companies, but as Nokia is continuing the implosion process, we simply must post an excerpt from Tavakoli’s rather amusing piece on Nokia. Connecting people…..
Yet on the most important presentation in the fight for Nokia’s survival, the sound cut out. Really? Technical glitches are forgivable by your audience if you’re selling, say, soap, but if you’re a tech company selling phones, you must demonstrate your technical ability to deliver sound. Listeners in remote locations couldn’t hear for a time, and many may have tuned out because of this SNAFU.
More than that, once people can hear you, you must deliver a good presentation. Can’t Nokia put someone onstage who looks cool and who seems to have passion for the products?
Nokia’s Stephen Elop looked as if he were casually dressed for a funeral. EVP of smartphones, Jo Harlow, looked like the anti-Harlow. She dressed as if she were a frumpy version of Ninotchka. This was their moment to shine and explain to consumers how excited and happy they are about their own products, not to suggest that they arrived to bury them. Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer later threw his arm over Elop’s shoulder doing his Uncle Fester impersonation. Between Ballmer and Elop, Elop looked like the cool guy in the photo. It’s as if Microsoft’s lack of marketing savvy is contagious.
One might have been able to get past the appearance of Nokia’s management, if it hadn’t piled on with zero presentation skills. If they bothered to get any media training, it didn’t show. Aren’t you sick of hearing about a “journey?” When Elop pulled out this tired marketing sound bite, I was ready to write Nokia’s board to suggest they encourage him to hit the road.
Everyone wanted to know when the phones would be available, the identity of the carriers, and the price of the phones. Unfortunately, Nokia didn’t tell us. Instead it said the phone will be available in select markets. But Nokia wouldn’t tell us which ones.
Full article here.