Pros
• If you’re working at KBC then you’re already part of a creative and innovative workforce which is globally known to be the best at what they do. This facilitates a great working environment which is open-minded and consistently more than the sum of its parts. Everyone is pulling in the same direction which makes the day-to-day experience in working with colleagues and peers a generally satisfying experience. • Exposure to a wide, interesting, and varied clientele. • The ability to become an expert in industry-leading software which if marketed properly should clean up in the simulation space of the global oil and gas sector because PetroSIM, RMs, Multiflash, and Maximus beat all their respective competitors hands-down. • Understanding and direct involvement with the interplay between different business functions such as software development, consultancy, marketing, sales, etc. This is a great way see how business works. • Good office locations, spacious, and generally nice places to work. • Excellent training on the job, which is often conducted at great expense to the company.
Cons
• Totally dysfunctional as an organisation – and I fear that YHQ are going to step in at some point soon. Emphasis in all the wrong areas. It is a matter of some disgrace that in-spite of what is evidently some quite superior software capabilities, KBC has not managed to crack the vast majority of simulation space in the oil and gas sector. Ludicrous pricing strategies and totally misguided marketing (six months to come up with an “accent colour” …. really!!?!) which make KBC a laughing stock in the oil and gas industry. • Crippled by an HR organisation that no one trusts. Constantly abusing the trust of staff members through broken promises, unresponded messages, and a general lack of attention to the needs of a professional workforce. This is a disaster and corresponds to so many of the problems KBC is having right now. • Thinks of itself as a premium consultancy (true that there are some business functions within KBC that do exceptionally well with very little, such as RAM and HPI), but generally the below-par performance of the consulting arm year after year dispels this. • If you are young and ambitious DO NOT JOIN KBC. Year after year of inability to provide a meaningful career progression to so many of its junior cohort. So many employees dissatisfied with the progression opportunities. If, on the other hand, you simply want to have an easy job and just collect your pay-check, then KBC is for you. • Staff retention, staff retention, staff retention. This is a total disaster for KBC. How can you possibly hope to be successful when all your best people keep walking out the door? This is a totally disruptive problem because every time you think you’re onto something good it walks away. This is no coincidence!
