Kamillah works for XYZ Corporation as a customer support manager. Her department's responsibilities include handling customer complaints and dispatching service calls when equipment fails. XYZ Corporation management has made it very clear to Kamillah that the number one priority must be customer service (no exceptions!). As stated by Mary, corporate VP of administration, "the backbone and future of our company depends upon prompt and efficient service to our loyal customers." On September 1, 2022, Mary gave Kamillah a copy of the draft 2023 operating budget for her review (2 weeks before it was due to senior management). Kamillah, who is a new employee of XYZ Corporation, is determined to make a good impression, and plans on being extremely aggressive in cutting the budget. Even though she realizes that there is very little to cut, Kamillah will be making the following recommendations:

• An immediate 20% reduction in non-salary expenditures (these reductions include less money for supplies, equipment, paper, and educational reimbursement benefits);
• Elimination of one of three employees from her support/help desk. Although all 3 employees are extremely busy, Kamillah figures that a little longer response time for her customers overwhelmingly justifies the savings;
• Laying-off one clerical position from XYZ Corporation's sales department. Although this department is not Kamillah's responsibility, she recognizes the fact that many sales people are working at home, thereby reducing the need for clerical support;
• The elimination of the non-salaried line item for personal computers. Kamillah's staff currently use IBM 386s, an older and inefficient machine, that cannot run many of today's applications. Kamillah figures that the staff has been functioning sufficiently with this equipment for the past 5 years, so why change?
• Reduce conference/seminar/training dollars by 80%.

Kamillah is very proud of her changes and quick response to the vice president's request. The very day the VP gave her the budget, she took it home, and worked till 2:00a.m. developing her recommendations. Kamillah realized that her proposed changes were a bit aggressive, but she could always go back to the vice president later in the year if she underestimated her budget. And, if her operating department does not run short in funding, she will look like a "hero" and will certainly be rewarded for it.

1. Is Kamillah a good manager?
2. What things did Kamillah do right and what things did she do wrong?
3. What things did Mary do right and what things did she do wrong?
4. Will Kamillah be a "hero" if her proposed budget changes meet targeted expectations at years end?