Have you ever gone back to a former employer's website several years later just to see what's changed? I did, this morning. Google also brought up this page so yeah, I'm a newbie, but I thought I could share a little insight into the Mediacom mindset.
I worked in a medium-size Midwest market for TCI originally. John Malone founded the company which was one of the biggest MSO's in its day. In '97 or '98 we were bought by AT&T. Suddenly the operations became much more formal and complex. The AT&T culture was very different than Malone's "cowboy" approach. After a few years of underperforming to AT&T's expectations they decided to sell off certain regions and markets. Mediacom was looking to expand, especially in small and medium markets. No one had ever heard of them and it appeared their reputation within the business was not favorable.
Our first meeting with the CEO, Rocco Commisso, was like a scene from "The Sopranos." Everyone who came out from New York was 'family.' We were looked upon as a bunch of local yokels who wouldn't know a cable modem from a milking machine. So not only was there a condescending attitude, but the way they ran operations was short-sighted and wasteful. By this time we were all suffering whiplash from the changes in ownership. They acted as though they were one of the big boys and wanted desperately to be seen that way, but it was obvious they were putting it together as they went. Their PR was horrible and even though they tried to present themselves as "not like the other guys", subscribers were leery. Midwesterners are a lot like New Englanders that way; 'Uh, huh...show me."
After 18 months of playing nice things took an unexpected turn. Rocco complained that "the markets" expected more. We had cuts and forced layoffs across all sectors of our operation. Managers were expected to get results, regardless of the cost. Staff was required to work inordinate hours and, predictably, the quality of work suffered. Clients and customers were underserved. And the pressure never let up. I lost three good people on my staff because of it. My boss, who was a reasonable guy, put the pressure on me. I've always been considered a good, fair, effective manager but I've always put people first. I know it sounds naive in today's economy but I think the worker has to come before the work.
That was my downfall. Mediacom has raised its value and Commisso bought like 87% of the company a few years ago so he's got nothing to worry about. But he still considers himself one of the big boys, saying Mediacom is the 8th largest MSO in the country. He hates it when the Journal or Business Week says they're #12 or #13. And their consumer satisfaction ratings are in the toilet - "among the worst." (Of course, AT&T and Comcast have similar ratings so...)
i have no gripes about Mediacom. For the most part I was treated well...at least as long as they felt they could trust me to play along. I met a lot of great people, some of whom I'm still friends with. And I guess I shouldn't be surprised by the way things went. That's business these days. I disagree strongly with the company's lack of experienced executive management and strategy and their disregard for employees. But in a one-man show, as Mediacom has turned out to be, it's mostly about ego and little else.
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