Corporate Integrity

[miksel]

This post may seem a bit rambling but i felt the need to post it.At 52 years old it is important to me to spend my hard earned money with companies that as best i can tell operate with integrity.I am not referring,in this case,primarily to environmental issues(which Taylor obviously leads the industry in) but to how a company treats its employees.This thought drifted around my mind after a conversation this afternoon with an employee of another guitar company who was obviously concerned about his future after a long and successful career up to this point.I too have worked hard for the same folks for 30 years and see things changing in a way that makes me feel uncertain about my future.When i have heard Taylor employees talk about their company it is always the opposite tone.They feel they are part of a vibrant,growing company where they are valued and their future is bright.In short,they appear to be treated exceptionally well and respected.That,for me,is corporate integrity.Call it "drinking the koolaid" or whatever but happy employees result from doing something right.Mike S.

[sachi]

Hear, hear!

[jjrpilot-admin]

Mike I noticed the same thing.  The biggest tip off for me was the fact that they use their own employees to model shirts etc in the W&S publication..........so you're thinking "so what?!?!"

It proved to me that they actually know their employees.  They're not just "workers" but real people who make up an integral part of the Taylor company.  It's not like they had Bob or Kurt wear the Taylor gear, but rather it seems as if they picked people from all over the company.  In other words they didn't pick just "big wigs"

Using/highlighting those different employees in W&S spoke volumes to me.  I don't think it's "drinking the koolaid" it's just being able to recognize a great company when you see one.  I'm glad to purchase Taylor's products...they're a class act.

[cotten]

I can't claim to know anything about the way Taylor treats their employees, but I enjoy doing business with companies that consistently demonstrate that they value their workers highly. Not at the expense of their customers, of course, but along with their customers. 

When a company treats their own employees poorly, thinking more about their immediate bottom line than about building long range success and loyalty, in the back of my mind as I consider doing business with them is that they will willingly treat their customers even more poorly, for the same reason.

cotten

[taylor96]

I have to agree with you 100%... I am retired now and have been since 2000.. when I was working I worked for oil companies for some 35 years.. Back then integrity was the first thing on everyones mind. we felt we were part of the Company.
Cooperation and ideas flowed from the TOP DOWN  AND from the BOTTOM UP...
In the final 10 years of my career we were taken over by a smaller basically local company and most of that changed. It was a TOP down management only. oh they asked for your ideas but it was just a smoke screen to make you think they cared.. All of the employees that were kept all felt the same.  It was OK the pay is good..
I was on the road in the Construction dept then, so for me it was a good way, to get away from this crap.. Long story, short when I had a chance to take early retirement, I jumped on it and never looked back..

I do not know who you work for, but can guess perhaps..  I read a long article and comments a while back on one of the guitar makers who has been around for years and from what I read, most employees were far from happy and felt like they were (are) just pawns ..  if this is you then I feel really bad for you as its a terrible way to have to work.. good luck in the future..

[beachbum205]

Bob Taylor's book can give you a flavor for this too, although one might say that naturally he would put a good spin on issues like the integrity of the company, care for employees, etc. 

After reading his book, which I highly recommend, I happen to believe this is a decent, pretty fair, and good business.

[Jannie]

This is a really important subject, I'm glad it was brought up and I was also very aware of the reputation of Taylor as a company before I bought one of their guitars. Actually I received quite a story from another guitar player who's been playing a Taylor in performance for over a decade as to how the company had progressed and why he liked their approach and attitude toward the whole picture.

[Terry]

Bob Taylor's book can give you a flavor for this too...
After reading his book, which I highly recommend, I happen to believe this is a decent, pretty fair, and good business.

Ditto. And if you have a small business, it should be a must read.
Terry

[dkoloff]

You would hope to be buying from a company that has integrity in dealing with client and employee alike but I would also not want to make that judgement solely based on one employee's satisfaction or not.

[leeasam]

One thing too many do not realize it where they use robotics as in Painting and buffing-- they are the most hazardous areas for workers. I read where the workers really do not mind NOT having to HAND buff all these guitars or be exposed to paints etc. I know painters where masks and such but still if the mask does not fit quite right one time you breath in alot of crap and you do not realize it until much later.

   It also puts workers in areas where hand labor is really needed.    Where I work we polish cast brinze and bras by hand etc and NO ONE that does it LIKES it but they have no choice.  It is dirty amd messy and not always easy.

[Jannie]

Masks aren't even enough, that stuff creeps through your skin into your body.

[bigb]

Corporate culture is a really fascinating thing. Realy it is 
It certainly can change over time and in fact is likely to. I've had the great fortune and misfortune to work at incredible companies over my career, and have witnessed how it can change due to senior leadership changes, growth, buy outs, spin-offs, etc.
A culture will develop whether leadership conscientiously tries to direct it or not. One can only hope (and advocate as much as is practicable) that leaders take the long view and value it.

[Picken Pappy]

I don't personally know Bob Taylor, or any of his employees, but I do know something about business and how it can change in time. You see right now Bob Taylor, the man who started Taylor guitars with his own sweat, hard work, and long nights is still the owner of the company. The company is growing and becoming a force to be reckoned with in the mass guitar market. Often when someone starts a new company and it really takes off they understand that the professionalism, work ethic, and loyalty of the employees plays a big part in the success of this newly formed and growing business. And more often than not, out of appreciation and realization that these employees are a big part of what made your company what it is today, they are treated with respect, dignity, and for the lack of a better term as extended numbers of the family. I have seen this numerous times.

The sad reality is that once the original owner; the person who started the business from the ground up retires or dies, that person's legacy is dropped into the hands of someone, or in some cases a Corporation, that has no appreciation for the hard work of everyone involved including the past owner. And it's usually in the hands of this new management that you see everything unravel. Oh, the company will continue; in fact may even continue to grow, but employees become nothing more than a number on a punch-card. Even the pride of craftsmanship is overlooked in order to increase the profit margin.

Now am I saying this is a hard fast rule? No… Not at all. But it does tend to be the norm. Do I believe this would ever happen with Taylor guitars? To be honest… I have no idea. This is a question my great-grandchildren will have to answer after Taylor been around for 75 more years.

Please understand that I mean no disrespect to Bob Taylor, his employees, his product, or his company. It would give me great joy to know that my great grandkids will still have the high regard for Taylor guitars that we enjoy now with Bob at the helm, and that the employees of Taylor guitars would be treated as well if not better than they appear to be treated today. Time will tell.

[miksel]

I don't personally know Bob Taylor, or any of his employees, but I do know something about business and how it can change in time. You see right now Bob Taylor, the man who started Taylor guitars with his own sweat, hard work, and long nights is still the owner of the company. The company is growing and becoming a force to be reckoned with in the mass guitar market. Often when someone starts a new company and it really takes off they understand that the professionalism, work ethic, and loyalty of the employees plays a big part in the success of this newly formed and growing business. And more often than not, out of appreciation and realization that these employees are a big part of what made your company what it is today, they are treated with respect, dignity, and for the lack of a better term as extended numbers of the family. I have seen this numerous times.

The sad reality is that once the original owner; the person who started the business from the ground up retires or dies, that person's legacy is dropped into the hands of someone, or in some cases a Corporation, that has no appreciation for the hard work of everyone involved including the past owner. And it's usually in the hands of this new management that you see everything unravel. Oh, the company will continue; in fact may even continue to grow, but employees become nothing more than a number on a punch-card. Even the pride of craftsmanship is overlooked in order to increase the profit margin.

Now am I saying this is a hard fast rule? No… Not at all. But it does tend to be the norm. Do I believe this would ever happen with Taylor guitars? To be honest… I have no idea. This is a question my great-grandchildren will have to answer after Taylor been around for 75 more years.

Please understand that I mean no disrespect to Bob Taylor, his employees, his product, or his company. It would give me great joy to know that my great grandkids will still have the high regard for Taylor guitars that we enjoy now with Bob at the helm, and that the employees of Taylor guitars would be treated as well if not better than they appear to be treated today. Time will tell.

    Pappy,I certainly agree with your thoughts.I intended my comments for the current generation under Bob Taylor's direction. Mike S.

[Steve]

The company is growing and becoming a force to be reckoned with in the mass guitar market.

Actually, I believe they are the force to be reckoned with, at least with regards to acoustic guitars. I'm pretty sure they're at the top of the heap right now.