KAYAK reviews

Product & Market Fit Gaps, Competitive Positioning Challenges, Operational Constraints, Go-To-Market Frictions

At its early years, Kayak was blessed by the results of its initial strategy in the US, leading to its IPO and acquisition by the Priceline group. Now, the company finds itself still recovering from a hangover that was the re org of its global commercial team, 2 years a go. Coupled with a few mismanaged acquisitions (Momondo/Cheapflights) and a merger with Open Table, the company is primed for a tough road ahead. Competitors like Google Flights and Skyscanner caught up and outpace Kayak on product and as a performance channel for its partners. The global commercial team is small for the revenue it brings which leads to saturated titles and even bigger egos. The leadership team often chooses to fight internal battles to leverage or protect their own growth rather than welcoming different points of views, or simply executing on ideas that will help the business as a whole. This results in a clicky and toxic environment where result-driven work falls flat, because in the end it was all a fake meritocracy where "who you are close to" becomes the true success currency. Recently, there were attempts to improve the culture and internal process, but these efforts lacked authenticity, and ultimately, rewarded the very same leaders who turned a blind eye to the issues prior.