Chiquita Chairman and CEO, Fernando Aguirre went undercover. No, it wasn’t a top secret mission for MI6, but it was a secret mission (spy gadgets not included) in his own backyard: Chiquita Brands Int’l and you can watch every second of it!
Fernando went incognito at Chiquita as a part of the hit reality TV show, Undercover Boss, to see what life is really like for the average Chiquita employee. As an entry-level employee, Fernando had to set aside his managerial skills in exchange for some more… “hands on” type of work. If you haven’t yet, you can watch Fernando hone his lettuce coring technique, maneuver a forklift load (which is a lot harder than it looks, even for a licensed operator like Fernando) and even get kicked off of the warehouse floor. Here’s what Fernando had to say about his experience going undercover.
How difficult was it to go undercover and become a frontline employee?
As you'll see in the show, I had a really great physical disguise and a good "cover story" that really helped me go undercover. I think you'll really enjoying seeing my transformation and won't believe your eyes.
What kind of jobs did you do while you were undercover?
I really got down in the trenches during the show in more ways than one. I think you'll be really surprised about the types of jobs I did when you see the show. And I can tell you, I never thought I'd be coring lettuce in the fields or driving a forklift!
How was it to drive a forklift?
I can tell you this — I'm not the best forklift driver. I may have a license to drive one, but you'll have to watch the show to see how I do. My coach Fernando was not too happy with me.
Did you do a "good job" at the tasks you were assigned?
All the jobs I did were really difficult to do. I really enjoyed having the chance to learn them, but I can't say I enjoyed getting up at 3:30 in the morning to work the first shift. You'll have a chance to see my weary eyes when you watch the show.
How did you enjoy the experience?
I had a lot of fun with our employees, and some of them are really funny. I think you'll see some really funny and touching moments during the show.
What did you learn from the experience?
I learned a lot of things from spending time on the frontlines, and I think you'll see some of the actions we took to improve our company. I am excited to be able to positively affect the lives of the employees I worked with, and through some of our new initiatives, all of our 23,000 employees around the world.
So, what did YOU think? Let us know in the comments!