- Report: #1096684
Complaint Review: Jim Barsch - Salt Lake City Utah
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Jim Barsch
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
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Jim Barsch VacationRoost, Treasure Incorporated, World Choice Healthcare, Trase Miller Technologies, Brigham Yo Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, LDS Church, Mormon Church Salt Lake City Utah
Report Attachments
James "Jim" Barsch is the Chief Operating Officer of VacationRoost, a travel company in Salt Lake City. Barsh makes some questionable claims in his professional credentials. Among those dubious assertions is he led the start-up efforts of another travel business, Trase-Miller, in the 1990s when it opened a telephone reservations center in Oklahoma. Employees who were at Trase-Miller during this period have recollections about his time there that contrast with what he states.
For Barsch to allege that he was oversaw the start-up is an exaggeration at best. He took the helm after the operations were well underway: the clients using the call center's services--including American Airlines Vacations--had been contracted for more than a year, tax credits had long been secured for locating in Oklahoma, the site had been located and rented, and literally hundreds of employees had already been hired and trained.
Barsch's two years with the company were full of turmoil and instability. The company paid out several claims for illegal terminations and other workplace violations. The employee compensation structure, benefits, training program and schedule bidding system changed several times, and not in ways that were favorable to the employees. More than 40 percent of the hundreds of employees left the company during Barsch's first four months there, reulting in telephone wait times of up to 90 minutes. Callers were angry, and employees were largely powerless to handle their complaints. Trase-Miller's chief client, American Airlines, received numerous complaints from customers.
Sadly, the poor morale of the remaining employees led to a very hostile work environment, with several physical confrontations between employees. For a time, employees were so busy with their own feuds that it largely served as a distraction from Barsch's ineptitude. What should have been an enjoyable job--booking vacation packages--was largely antagonistic.
One would hope that Barsch had learned from his mistakes in Oklahoma, but the professional grapevine indicates that this may not be the case, and other aspects of his credentials may be inaccurate. Disappointing, especially considering that he is an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and attended Brigham Young University.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Jim
Lehi,Utah,
Response
#2REBUTTAL Individual responds
Sun, December 22, 2013
The anonymous author has not accurately portrayed my employment with Trase Miller. His comments are misleading and non-contextual. The additional comments regarding my career and personal life are both slanderous and inaccurate. Please contact me directly through LinkedIn for further information.
anonymous
Salt Lake,Utah,
Not Accurate
#3General Comment
Tue, December 17, 2013
I have known Mr. Barsch throughout his working career. Though not perfect, his intention in his business activities has always been consistent with his employer's direction and always with consideration for employees. In any management or executive level position, there will always be decisions that others consider wrong, especially when they entail work to increase efficiency and profitability, which is one of Mr. Barsch's strengths. Any business person knows that staffing and leadership models that may have worked before, may not work today, let alone for the world of tomorrow.
In most cases, increases in efficiency are better machines, different or more skillful workers, or new technology. These are all areas of expertise for Mr. Barsch and his track record is one of increased productivity and profitability for the areas he has supervised.
The person who wrote this report also is not accurate in other areas. Though Mr. Barsch may have been raised in the Mormon faith, he chose several years ago to quietly step away from that faith and would best be described as agnostic.
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I have known Mr. Barsch throughout his working career. Though not perfect, his intention in his business activities has always been consistent with his employer's direction and always with consideration for employees. In any management or executive level position, there will always be decisions that others consider wrong, especially when they entail work to increase efficiency and profitability, which is one of Mr. Barsch's strengths. Any business person knows that staffing and leadership models that may have worked before, may not work today, let alone for the world of tomorrow.
In most cases, increases in efficiency are better machines, different or more skillful workers, or new technology. These are all areas of expertise for Mr. Barsch and his track record is one of increased productivity and profitability for the areas he has supervised.
The person who wrote this report also is not accurate in other areas. Though Mr. Barsch may have been raised in the Mormon faith, he chose several years ago to quietly step away from that faith and would best be described as agnostic.
