By: Valerie Milano – Pasadena, CA (Hollywood Today) 1/12/12
Having the Super Bowl as your lead-in can’t be a bad thing and for CBS’s “Undercover Boss”, that proved to be very true.
Stephen J. Cloobeck, Chairman and CEO, Diamond Resorts International during the UNDERCOVER BOSS session at Winter Press Tour 2012, held on January 11, 2012 at The Langham Huntington Hotel in Los Angeles, Calif. Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This Sunday evening begins season 3 of this popular, Emmy nominated series with Steven J. Cloobeck, Chairman and CEO of Diamond Resorts International leaving his ivory tower to spend some time on the front line in disguise for a firsthand experience with his employees. Clearly out of his comfort zone he nearly starts the building ablaze as well as blowing a gasket at the realization his call center employees aren’t being trained.
In the end, as with every episode for the previous 2 seasons, there are lessons learned and changes for the better within these companies and several opportunities to reach for the tissues. In this episode Cloobeck ends up paying off the mortgage of one employee. “I’m very involved in many charities. And the show gave me latitude. They had no idea what I was going to do, and I really had no idea what I was going to do until I sat out there with each team member.”
From here, Cloobeck took this thinking one step further as he told journalists at TCA winter press tour. “it was this cathartic because instead of giving away the amount of money that I do each year to various charities throughout the United States and the world, I set up within my own company a 501(c)(3), an emergency fund for my team members in need. I’ve got close to 6,000 team members. Because I said to myself, “Why am I giving all this money away to disparate charities without taking care of my family?” I own my company. I am the chairman. I’m the CEO. I’m the papa bear.”
Creator and executive producer Stephen Lambert told HT “I’m very excited about the next season of “Undercover Boss.” The competition to be on this show is greater than ever. When we first did this show, it was a new show. People didn’t know about it. Now a lot of people want to be on “Undercover Boss.” A lot of companies, a lot of really charismatic bosses want to be on the show. So the bar to get onto “Undercover Boss” is much higher than ever, and I’m delighted with the people that have taken part in this season.”
Week after week viewers tune into this highly rated program to witness the inner workings of familiar corporations from everyday life. Already set to air are bosses Dina Dwyer Owens, Chairwoman and CEO of The Dwyer Group. Rick Tigner, President of Kendall Jackson Wine Estates, and Mark King, CEO of TaylorMade Golf Company.
Overall, these CEO’s have learned and grown and opened lines of communication and it seems the good news is these companies are hiring and appear to be in a growth mode. Cloobeck said “Our economic situation has already improved and it’s getting ready to do a hockey stick. Quit watching CNBC. You can’t watch CNBC. You got to talk to folks like us. Our numbers are good. I am hiring. I am hiring in just about every aspect of my business. I need more people. I need people that probably have high school educations or less, that want to work in the service industry. I have people that I need that have graduated college. I need hundreds of people.”
8 responses so far ↓
1 Jenn Kalaitsides // Jan 12, 2012 at 8:26 pm
Sign me up Stephen J. Cloobeck! I’m for hire and wud love to represent a company that supports their employees and thinking outside the box!
Love reading about the progress of our networks!
2 mr glass // Jan 13, 2012 at 10:17 am
I cannot really believe that a NETWORK is giving this low moral DRI (Diamond Resorts International) operation GLORY on TV! This operation is as rotten as it gets and that’s from the TOP down!
3 Jim Adams // Jan 13, 2012 at 10:49 pm
I am disappointed that CBS is running this show, which will result in ‘good press’ for this company. I am certain that many people will buy into the scam as a result, and end up in the same trap that we have found ourselves in. People who buy today are not warned about the water damage during the sales pitch and do not find out until the bill arrives. I really cannot understand how these folks can sleep at night.
4 Mr. Benny // Jan 14, 2012 at 10:30 am
It seems to me, that the airing of this show is “backwards”. There are thousands of honest, decent people working for wages with Diamond Resorts that have no idea about the corruption and mismanagement in the executive offices of this company. These workers need a legitimate way to undercover their employers failings and will soon get that chance in the courts. Mr. Cloobeck and company should be looking for new work.
5 Sasha // Jan 15, 2012 at 12:39 pm
That’s amazing. DRI is one of the worst companies in America. Instead of investigative reporting on one of the dirtiest scumbags of Vegas (Mr. Cloobeck) that is raping and scamming the “owners”, CBS is going to promote his fake caring attitude. Deceit and hard selling tactic during sales, poor service, difficulties to book whatever you “own”, exorbitant maintenance and assessment fees, intimidation of the “owners” who want to oppose his board or cut the losses, by leaving to DRI tens of thousands of dollars that they already paid, just not to pay huge yearly fees, that greedy management increases significantly every year, despite promises during sales that they wouldn’t.
… I can continue on and on.
My only hope, that Mr. Cloobeck is making a mistake by putting himself in the spotlight, so that his shady business gets some scrutiny. And the worst outcome would be if this generates some additional sales – because 95% of buyers will regret dearly, that they have fallen for DRI pitch.
6 When bosses get their hands dirty – Ottawa Citizen | Canada EN – iWooho.com // Jan 15, 2012 at 9:12 pm
[...] star forgos corporate suite for painting, maintenanceLas Vegas Review-JournalHollywood Today Newsmagazine -BuddyTV -my.hsj.orgall 35 news articles » .nrelate .nr_sponsored{ left:0px [...]
7 Eric Lee // Jan 17, 2012 at 1:10 pm
I love that show Undercover Boss – I just wish my boss had a clue about all the bs I put up with in the trenches!
8 Mrs. Donna // Jan 18, 2012 at 11:25 pm
This company cares nothing about their employees that do all of the work to try and keep the owners and guests satisfied. Employees have not recieved raises in years. They cut back on the incentives. they no longer do tuition remembersment for employees that are in school. THE CEO only cares about his covered parking spot. he can give all of that money on undercover boss but can’t take the time to sit with the management to train them on how to create a better working environment and boost company morale. Once a company looses it’s good workers then you can expect a domino effect from there. It’ was a utterley horrible place to work and I am so glad I do not work there anymore.
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