Comments on: Helio cuts 100 jobs, memo from CEO Sky Dayton

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 06:16:04 +0000

haha i cancelled my two sprint lines for a grand total of 550$ dollars, get this they even charged me for going over minutes on a phone that was shut off sitting in my dresser drawer. I switched to Helio and have had everyone of my questions answered satisfactorally. I am paying about half for what i was paying for Sprint, and get more everything. The Ocean is quite possibly the single most useful device in the world. I love Helio and i will never change companies… Helio is for real just give them a chance

By: Sam

Sam — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 03:52:51 +0000

What a nightmare Helio is! Just started up with them and Customer Service aka Customer Care is by far the worst! Seems the scam is raking in customers with friendly Sales Rep’s then tossing them bones. There is no knowledge nor the desire to care what so-ever coming out of the supporting dept. of Customer Care once your hooked into HELIO. Customer Service does not follow protocol and place any notes into your accounts when you call. Their good at not my job, can’t get your account info and its another depts issue aka sales, then your transfered right back into the call waiting cue to begin anew.

Corporate is a long distance call no 800 number. The truth Helio is apparently only interested in grabbing the up front money through sales then immediately dumps you through customer care! It’s accurate, Don’t call them a phone company, better yet don’t call them at all. Dump them before your locked in, what a bad mistake even giving them a shot. Four lines two accounts big money and out before the 30. Writings on the wall, Helio will not last for long, not at this rate. Doubt they really care. Should have paid attention to all the internet complaints that R floating around. Don’t make the same mistake, your fore-warned.

By: Nelia

Nelia — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 18:21:19 +0000

I am canceling my 3 lines on my Helio account. Helio has unqualified, unprofessional personnel that never have answers to basic questions regarding billing. What a mistake cancelling Sprint and transferring to Helio.

By: FmrHelioEmo

FmrHelioEmo — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 22:32:49 +0000

I left Helio last year, I worked their for about 6 months. After the first week, I knew I had made a big mistake. I ran out of that place.

This is not a surprise at all, I am surprised this is the first round.

The problem with the company is that the people making the day-to-day decisions are not capable of doing so.

Great Idea, very poor execution.

By: KBAM

KBAM — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 22:03:21 +0000

A transparent, poorly written letter that insults those laid off and fails to convince anyone that Helio’s business model is viable.

‘Let it bleed…’

–BAM

P.S. Hey Rikster!

By: Paul

Paul — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 16:05:41 +0000

Yes, but how does that explain the cuts at corporate?

By: rickster

rickster — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 19:47:48 +0000

His reasons, at face value – make sense. I don’t know any background info that would suggest otherwise, but I’m not a Helion either..

If it costs Helio $5 to acquire a customer in their top 20 markets and $125 to acquire one anywhere else due to higher operating and headcount costs – well, for the cost of that one new customer in the modestly-performing areas they can acquire 25 more in their stronger markets.

As a bonus, that higher concentration leads to more “hop-ons” – people who join Helio because they see a device or know someone who has one.

Given the residuals that Helio gets from the monthly bills, it all adds up.

By: Paul

Paul — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 14:23:16 +0000

Hmm… Interesting spin. Seems like most people have accepted what he said at face value. However, I’ve never heard of a company laying people off as they grow. When you you grow, you need more headcount, not less as it leads to increases in admin and support functions (unless offset by investments in automation infrastrcture, which I doubt happened).

If seen many companies that cut heads and then customer service starts to suffer and it starts a spiral downwards. if they truely were growing, but wanted to shift focus to other areas, a more natural thing would have been to relocate or change roles of redundant staff rather than just letting them go.

Maybe it is what it is, but a little more digging may resolve any questions…

By: gadgetchic

gadgetchic — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 05:16:41 +0000

haha love the kanye west shout out (graduation is on constant replay right now)

By: evmonk

evmonk — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 03:55:10 +0000

This is a fascinating post. Very interesting to peek behind the scenes at Helio. I found the tone of the memo somewhat disturbing — Dayton seems to dance around the firings until the very end — but it seems like he’s genuinely committed to making Helio the best company possible. In any case, thanks for posting.

By: Jameson

Jameson — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 23:49:19 +0000

Wow. That’s alright though. It appears that they know where to focus their sales at least they’re taking the right approach, it seems. Go Helio! Fellow Helions, rise uuuup!

By: Jeff B.

Jeff B. — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 23:10:40 +0000

Wow, that sucks I can’t believe that a company doing so well would cut 100 jobs. Wut’s up wit dat?