Ms. Whitman's comments were almost a play-by-play repeat of earlier roadmaps for H.P. – get the finances under control, rebuild customer relationships, build better products, and teach the sales force to offer more profitable packages of H.P. products.
It doesn't want to be sued in the future for having done nothing about the annual health toll, and it certainly needs to improve its public image, and rebuild customer loyalty and trust.
"They know they have to rebuild customer trust, and they are working to do that," said a spokesman.
New York-based Catalyst, founded by brothers Edward and Kevin Chiu, wants to rebuild customer success from the ground up with an integrated software platform.
Penney's rebirth is unfolding, but the huge issue is that it's moving extremely slowly, causing inefficiencies at the store that diminish the promotional and marketing initiatives being undertaken by management to rebuild customer relationships," Brian Sozzi, chief executive of Belus Capital Advisors, said in a note to clients.
On Wednesday, various members of the council harped on that theme, saying DWP needed reform to rebuild customer trust after a billing scandal and an audit that found cavalier spending of more than $40 million of ratepayer money by two utility-affiliated nonprofits.
US Airways' chief executive, Bruce R. Lakefield, urged workers not to delay, so the airline can rebuild customers' confidence.
These companies say they want to rebuild customers' trust, but with practices like this it's no surprise people are mistrusting of the energy industry.
Mr. Fitzgibbon said he expected that rebuilding his customer base would require a "monumental" effort, just as fighting the company's decision to get rid of his dealership did.
"Lucent did a good job outlining its strategy and product road maps, but it now needs to link this to its business-model strategy as the next step in rebuilding confidence with customers, investors and employees," Lesieur says.
