Global Kickstand And Comeback Awards, Hall Of Shame Lists

The Global Kickstand Award

Of all the lists and awards I bestow on companies, this is the most prestigious. It was a pleasure to ride up to these companies and lower my kickstand for a visit. Though I've received hundreds and hundreds of great receptions, it takes something extra to be eligible for this award. Many companies visited required receptionists and myself to track down where or to whom my letter had been referred (i.e. my contact person). Eligibility for this award is narrowed down to those who gave me a great reception AND had gone the extra step by notifying receptionists and security personnel of my pending arrival. It's a terrific feeling arriving at a company's headquarters complex and being greeted by name.

1. General Accident (Perth, Scotland)
2. Nestle (Vevey, Switzerland)
3. The Tokio Marine and Fire Insurance Co. Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan)
4. Schott Glas (Mainz, Germany)
5. Danfoss (Nordborg, Denmark)
6. Tele Danmark A/S (Copenhagen, Denmark)
7. European Investment Bank (Luxembourg City, Luxembourg)

15 Companies On The USA Hall Of Shame List

I went around the USA for three years visiting the 650 largest companies. I then traversed the USA another three years visiting the 750 mid-sized companies. I encountered quite a few poor receptions the first trek. On the second time around the USA I revisited some of those from the first trip to see if the lousy treatment received was a fluke. Some companies managed to treat me just as bad, if not worse, on the second visit. Even more amazing: some of these companies were visited on a third occasion a year later with the same results! To be honest with you, it's hard to make one of my "worst" lists. Who are these companies which managed to give me dismal receptions twice and in some instances, three times?

1. Polaroid (Cambridge, MA) *Three separate visits over six years
2. American Home Products (NYC, NY) *Have since moved to Madison, NJ
3. International Paper (Purchase, NY)
4. Mobil (Fairfax, VA) *Merged with Exxon
5. Amoco (Chicago) *Three visits. Now part of British Petroleum
6. BellSouth (Atlanta, GA)
7. Alcoa (Pittsburgh, PA)
8. Morgan Stanley Group (NYC, NY) *Now part of Dean Witter and Discover
9. American Express (NYC, NY)
10. Microsoft (Redmond, WA)
11. Paccar (Bellevue, WA)
12. FMC (Chicago, IL)
13. Bankers Trust (NYC, NY) *swallowed up by Deutsche Bank
14. Procter & Gamble (Cincinnati, OH)
15. Ameritech (Chicago, IL) *three separate visits over six years. Now part of SBC

European Hall of Shame List

I'm in the process of traversing Europe for a second time. I received shabby treatment from these companies the first visit and then again four years later.

1. Westdeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale (Dusseldorf, Germany)
2. Mahle GmbH (Stuttgart, Germany)
3. Robert Bosch GmbH (Stuttgart, Germany)
4. Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget SCA (Stockholm, Sweden)
5. Codan A/S (Copenhagen, Denmark)
6. Den Danske Bank Aktieselskab (Copenhagen, Denmark)

Comeback Award

These companies were on track for the Hall of Shame lists. My initial visits were disasters but these companies redeemed themselves on my return visit years later.

1. General Mills (Minneapolis, MN)
2. Wells Fargo & Co. (San Francisco, CA)
3. Carlsberg A/S (Copenhagen, Denmark)
4. Royal Dutch/Shell Group (The Hague, Netherlands)
5. Otto Versand GmbH & Co. (Hamburg, Germany)