Tele Danmark
The address I have for Tele Danmark, Denmark's formerly state-owned
phone company, is in Arhus (northern Denmark) and so that's where
my letter of introduction was sent. Several weeks later I receive
an email from Benny Dam saying he's my contact person and how
he's looking forward to showing me around the Copenhagen office.
Copenhagen? The head office is suppose to be in Arhus. From my
experiences in Europe the past few years I can figure out what
happened: politics. Some countries don't like having all the
major government-run agencies such as the post office and phone
company located in one city or part of the country and so they
"spread the wealth". In the Netherlands for instance,
before the post office/phone company was recently split-up, they
were located not in the financial/government hub of Amsterdam/The
Hague but, way up in out-of-the-way Groningen, located in the
northeastern corner of the country. Methinks with US phone company
Ameritech (now SBC) taking control of Tele Danmark the guys at
Ameritech (SBC) said " to heck with being in Arhus"
and moved back to Copenhagen, the financial/government center
of Denmark. Thank goodness for email, otherwise I would have
continued northward to Arhus for naught and at a cost of several
days of wasted biking.
The head offices for
Tele Danmark isn't located where one would expect it to be. Though
close to the city center it's not in the business district nor
near government offices but next to the university (unlike Denmark's
biggest bank, Den Danske Bank, which just happens to be across
the street from Denmark's central bank). University buildings
(some several hundred years old) are scattered about for several
blocks in a mixed-use area and Tele Danmark's turn-of-the-century
red brick structure could easily be mistaken for one. Except
for a tiny plaque near the door there's no signage outside and
initially I think the building is empty because there's nobody
going in nor out. I ring the entrance bell and get buzzed in
to the reception area. I inform the receptionist of my appointment
to meet with Benny Dam and then ask if there's a more secure
place for my bicycle. Copenhagen's a great city and probably
has more bikes and bicyclists than any other city in Europe but
I've been repeatedly warned about keeping a close eye on my bike.
Matter of fact, this is the only city where I've been more concerned
about being hit by a bike than by a car. When one stops at a
stoplight it's not unusual to have 20 to 30 cyclists lined up
behind you eagerly waiting for the light to change. Anyway, it's
when directed around the block to the back of the building that
I realize just how deceivingly big this place really is. This
red brick building (built in 1908) turns out to be the tip of
an iceberg for a complex of interconnected buildings and courtyards
housing almost a thousand employees.
The lobby with its
wood floor is formal yet cozy. While waiting I take a seat on
one of 12 chairs gracing the waiting area. A half-dozen plants
adorn the coffee tables and visitors can peruse the Financial
Times and three Copenhagen newspapers. A framed picture of the
Queen of Denmark hangs on one wall and there's a marble bust
of a man near the reception desk. I ask the receptionist to identify
the man in the bust but she doesn't know. Jeez, the bust stands
right across from the receptionist's desk and having to look
at it day in and day out one would think she'd be curious to
know his identity. I later learn it's Hans Christian Osted.
You name it and I
get to see it at Tele Danmark's headquarters thanks to the terrific
tour given by super nice guy Dam whose business card reads "Head
of Office Corporate Communications-Customer Relations".
How extensive is the walk about? We literally go from top to
bottom and from old to new. In the early part of the century
one of the buildings formerly housed the central switchboard
for Copenhagen and it's down we go into the bowels of the building
including a section along a dimly-lit dirt path to have a look-see
at old cable lines. Not wanting me to think the company isn't
on top of the latest technology, Dam points out cables carrying
fiber optic. Thankfully Dam has worked at the corporate offices
for over 20 years and knows his way around the maze-like complex
of buildings and courtyards. The view from one of the rooftops
is a welcome sight because it allows for an overview of the surrounding
area. The nearby streets are narrow, winding and buildings are
built right up to the sidewalks-making it easy for visitors to
get confused and/or lost. An amusing touch to the red brick building
is the dozen or so gargoyle-like figurines attached to the sides
of the structure. No, they're not faces of famous scholars, scientists
or politicians but just regular town folk.
The decor in the cafeteria
isn't anything to write home about but the food is great (receiving
the coveted two thumbs up sign of approval from me). Employees
can wash down their lunch with free soft drinks and coffee. Speaking
of company perks, employees receive a 25% discount on their phone
bill. Parking is at a premium here with the 115 spots allocated
according to seniority and need. Copenhagen's airport lies six
miles away and the nearest freeway two miles. Oh, and did I mention
Tele Danmark had revenues in 1998 of $5.3 billion, has over 16,000
employees AND was founded in 1881 by an American?
CEO Henning Dyremose
occupies a spiffy-looking second floor corner office. I don't
see a computer but count three family photos, a bronze of a child,
five real plants, a fresh arrangement of flowers, a framed map
dated 1840 showing the layout of an industrial area and, a bowl
of fresh fruit. The white walls, tall ceiling and chandelier
give the room a certain elegance. What brand of phone does the
head of Denmark's largest telecommunication company use?-it's
a portable by Bang & Olufsen, better known as the Danish
manufacturer of the high-end stereo systems. |