August 2007
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We’re a chess set online retailer. With the stakes so high in terms of profit - what to do when competitors get more and more nasty? What if they threaten to send the boys round? Publish a little online defamation? Register confusingly similar domain names? Steal photography and other content to use in selling their similar products?
The maturing of the web has allowed hundreds of thousands of opportunities to people across every industry who previously couldn’t afford to get a physical store. And thousands of IT consultants have managed to join the two skills (technical and business) they have to jump into the shark infested waters of online commerce. This example of chess set retailing is real and current. The victim is a successful niche chess set company who suddenly appeared on the web by utilizing SEO skills, techie ability and a love of chess. After a year of trading, one of the chess competition noticed and started with threats and intimidation. But this has happened across many industries previously dominated by other web sites. What’s the best course of action and reaction?
Flattery
The first thing we feel is pride in the work done. The victimizer has been in chess set retailing for 12 years, we have been active for just one. A fellow retailer has flattered us by recognising a loss of income from our attempts at online marketing of chess sets. Hell, we’re good! - what other industries might we impact? Of course, the reality is that we all build upon the ideas of others. we see an idea and think of some improvement. Inertia then becomes our enemy - continuous improvement is required. So enough with the feeling of being flattered and keep on with the innovation.
No such thing as bad publicity
Naming the defauding site may have the effect of publicising the business to our detriment. Indeed the unethical web site selling inferior chess sets did refer to us directly, but probably realised that it was just sending people over to us. We want to focus on our business with a long term objective, so need to take action such that we don’t lose focus. This is one knee-jerk reaction that won’t necessarily help with the problem, but neither is ignoring the problem the best course either.
Losing focus
We seem to be occupying the aggressor somewhat. Well, that’s something too. Whilst he’s focusing his energies on us, he’s distracting himself from his own company. Nike found this years ago. ‘Hold your friends close and your enemies closer’ only goes so far. Nike innovated from the gut - they came up with their own designs that no other ‘competitor watching’ could have inspired. Whilst our chess competitor is sticking pins in our voodoo doll, he can’t innovate on chess set design and better chess suppliers with clarity of mind. More market share for us then.
Poor business
Our chess retailing aggressor clearly has a poorer business model than us if he has to resort to this kind of behaviour. Why doesn’t he work on his own business and compete in an ethical way rather than the threatening and abusive emails he regularly sends? If he believes we are taking his chess sets market - then why not work on improving his such that customers see a better business? Is this really so difficult? Perhaps he should be working another type of business. Or working for continuous improvement. Harassing the competition in some mafia style suggests a bullying manner that would be better channelled elsewhere.
Legal action
‘Theft’ of intellectual property rights (chess photography, chess product names, chess product descriptions…)- whether yielding any advantage or not - is just that - theft. The plain fact is that such illegal use of property rights may well confuse customers and lead to the wrong conclusion - that the cheaper chess set product is the same as the original site - what a great find? In the world of chess sets, most families will be truly defrauded as they unknowingly have a defective or inferior product at the expense of our company. They are unlikely to compare the product with another and so may never know the quality chess set they could have had. Sometimes, therefore, legal action is required in order to establish the bounds of unethical behaviour. Action can be threatened against the site hosts and against the aggressor company itself. Often a lawyer’s letter may suffice, but may be seen as ‘bluff’. So real court action may be required to bring the matter to a conclusion. Taking this course of action amidst physical threats is something demanding courage, especially when the chess aggressor’s last name has a distinctly Sicilian ring to it. But the only other option may be to be bullied. As in the school playground, bullies have to be stood up to even when a bloody nose is the result.
Site warnings
It has to be remembered that bad publicity is still publicity. Mentioning the aggressor may only serve to send potential customers scurrying over to the site to see his side of events, and his chess sets. We did wonder whether to post the emails sent to us on the site - but the use of bad language is so bad that many filters would block our site. We have resorted to posting a notice of inferior chess set copies being available with language that communicates our ethical stance on such matters. Each overlapping product has a notice attached. This is by no means ideal - but it’s better than nothing. (Suggestions welcome…)
The new world is here. Online retailing and competition is a fact of life. Competition is good for consumers and good for business improvement. But as in the schoolground and in the High Street/Mall there are aggressive unethical bullies online too. Actions can be taken to offset the aggression, evasive tactics can be used with some success, but the end game may involve taking hooligans to the law to stop the murky activities affecting the sanity of our lives and helping us have societies with admirable qualities we all look up to.
Author: Baron Turner of ChessBaron UK, USA, France, Canada - Chess Pieces, Chess Sets, Chess Boards
To Blame or Not To BlameA man can fall many times, but he isnt a failure until he begins to blame somebody else. (John Burroughs)Fire her, she set me up! John yelled quite loudly. He was incredibly angry and for good reason. However, he was really angry at the wrong person. What he was really saying was […]
Written by info on August 18th, 2007 with comments disabled.
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Trust is the fundamental currency of business. Without trust our economies cannot function. And yet many organisations, teams and individuals struggle with trust. They struggle to gain their customers trust; they fail to develop their employees trust. Without trust stakeholders become cynical, disillusioned and de-motivated. Where they can, they move on. Hopefully to work with others (suppliers and employers) in whom they can trust.
How about your organisation? What level of trust do you think you deserve?
Here is a short test.
Consider how many of the following undermining behaviours are to be found in your organisation;
Saying one thing and doing another
Not following through on commitments
Taking credit for anothers work
Not sharing information in a timely manner or at all
Shooting the messenger
Listening with the intent to reply rather than understand
Not delegating the best assignments to help develop others
Revealing confidences and confidential information about others
Showing superficial concern about others
Acting like you know something you dont
Being defensive about feedback
If you see any of these behaviours regularly demonstrated by your employees then you probably have a problem. One that without action on your part could lead to the destruction of any trust that still exists. Ultimately low or no trust organisations become dysfunctional and fail to achieve results. The end result is going to be failure.
What can be done?
Firstly, own up to the problem. Recognise and accept that it is a real problem; one that needs to be given priority. Also appreciate that it starts at the top. Building trust cannot be achieved if the prevailing attitude is Do what we say, not what we do.
One of the most effective ways to build trust is to work with the 3 Cs (as used by Novations Consulting Partners).
Consideration conveying a genuine interest in the well being of others. People are more likely to trust you if they believe you share their concerns about the success of the organisation, if they believe you care about their needs and if they believe you will go out of your way to help them when they need it.
Credibility conveying evidence that you are trustworthy and have relevant knowledge, skills and influence. People need to have confidence that you have the required knowledge and ability to do your job and that you can successfully exert your influence to be effective in the role. Most importantly people must believe that you are ethical and honest.
Consistency providing steady, reliable guidance, support and follow-through to accomplish the work. Consistency is based on reliability and dependability. It means making sure your actions match your words. It means following through on the commitments you make. It means setting clear standards and expectations and then providing the support necessary to attain the goal.
Creating a climate of trust taps into peoples desire to contribute and feel valued. People who trust and are trusted are more productive and loyal. They communicate openly and directly. They are willing to share ideas and take appropriate risks. They show creativity and initiative. In other words organisations based on trust work better.
Wouldnt you want to work in one yourself?
Trust takes a lifetime to build and just a moment to lose. You might think about including a session on trust on the agenda of your next board meeting or team session.
And contact me on +44 (0)1252 727980 for more information and advice.
John (Skoonie) Schonegevel is passionate about people. About how to help them live fulfilling lives at work. About how to create and sustain organisations in which people are able to give of their very best. Organisations where culture and practice encourages personal responsibility and enables every individual to be engaged, enthusiastic and effective. Because organisations need more people like this. You can share and swap ideas with him through his website http://www.new-frontiers.co.uk.
Skoonie is a director of New Frontiers, behavioural change specialists and Novations Consulting Partners.
To Blame or Not To BlameA man can fall many times, but he isnt a failure until he begins to blame somebody else. (John Burroughs)Fire her, she set me up! John yelled quite loudly. He was incredibly angry and for good reason. However, he was really angry at the wrong person. What he was really saying was […]
Written by info on August 17th, 2007 with comments disabled.
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Men cease to interest us when we find their limitations. The sin is limitations. As soon as you once come up to a mans limitations, it is all over with him.
Emerson
Given the assault on traditional values, are we headed in the right direction with ethical leaders? This is a valid question to ask given the current circumstances of my organizations in America. The recent collage of scandals and unethical dealings by both government and business leaders has made everyone skeptical about todays leaders.
There is a trust factor that has been lost between leaders and followers due to economic factors, such as technology advances and outsourcing. Some critics point to these factors as natural occurrences. Americans have seen similar issues in the past. What can be done to change this negative trend in ethics?
Organizations in the 21st century need to reevaluate their moral foundation in order to change. Why should organizations want to change their ethics? After the September 11th terrorist attacks in America, it was obvious that American institutions were vulnerable. Yet the aftermath of such tragedies have produced a spiritual void in America.
Obviously, this reality places more critical need for something different in America. I am not advocating infusing religion into a secular environment. However, organizations need to fill this spiritual void. First, leaders need to understand spirituality. The term spirituality relates to the spiritual need of humanity. Spirituality relates to peoples needs to discover their full identity as human beings.
Second, secular development and spiritual formation often run counter to each other. Building ones awareness of his or her spiritual self is dealing with spirituality. The process of spiritual formation allows individuals to grow in a constructive manner. It encompasses emotional maturity, character development, and personal achievement; however, spiritual formation speaks to the need of discovery of destiny. Therefore, the notion of spiritual formation addresses the issue of personal development in a holistic approach by nurturing body, mind, and spirit.
Finally, applying spiritual formation in an era of cynicism may be an alternative in supporting good leadership values. Having the right values is critical in an organization. Everyone on a team is expected to get along and share common points, such as values. Therefore, leaders need to moral the way for good ethical conduct. Leaders are also responsible for mentoring these values.
Unfortunately, value formation and spiritual formation dont necessarily correspond with the traditional Aristotelian model. In the past, traditional organizations have no room for spirituality of any kind. The supporting assumption is that well-run organizations are unemotional. Due to the turbulent pace of life and continued unethical behavior, contemporary leaders should consider embracing spirituality as a method to build better ethical organizations. Only time will tell if these will happen.
References:
Ashar, H. & Lane-Maher, M. (2004). Success and spirituality in the new business paradigm. Journal of Management Inquiry, 13(3), 249-260.
Kern, C. (2003). Creating and Sustaining an Ethical Workplace Culture, Pepperdine University.
King, S. (2006). The Moral Manager. Public Integrity. 8(2), pp.113-133.
2007 by Daryl D. Green
Daryl D. Green has published over 100 articles in the field of decision-making (personal and organizational), leadership, and organizational behavior. Mr. Green is also the author of four books, including More than a Conqueror: Achieving Personal Fulfillment in Government Service. Do you want to improve your life? Do you want to make better decisions? If you answer “yes,” then go to the ‘master decision-making’ website at http://www.darylgreen.org
To Blame or Not To BlameA man can fall many times, but he isnt a failure until he begins to blame somebody else. (John Burroughs)Fire her, she set me up! John yelled quite loudly. He was incredibly angry and for good reason. However, he was really angry at the wrong person. What he was really saying was […]
Written by info on August 17th, 2007 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on ethics.
Some say that work ethic in America is in decline, but is it really or are Americans simply getting too over weight and feel more lackadaisical when performing tasks? Is this then triggering a perception of laziness in some and a work effort riddled with excuses, delegation and blame gaming with most?
We have so many important jobs in our society that must be done, but if everyone is lazy, has a poor diet and refuses to put forth their best efforts, then all the work cannot get done on time and correct the first time. This in fat will lead to inefficiencies, increased costs and more work being created.
If more work is being created due to humans working less in their own civilizations then they will need to import others to help them do the work. But if they import a lesser class of citizen to do this work then they will cause animosity amongst the masses and further hardships down the road in the form of protests, demonstrations, boycotts and angry underpaid, under appreciated, second class citizen work force.
The poor work ethics and work force of America today is leading to an over all economic decline and tearing down at the fabric of society as a whole. We need a war on mediocrity, laziness and this new paradigm of blame game style excuses being currently promoted by Donald Trumps Reality TV Series; Youre Fired and we may wish to consider the affect this change in attitude is having on our over all civilization. So, consider this in 2006.
“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance in the Online Think Tank and solve the problems of the World; www.WorldThinkTank.net/
To Blame or Not To BlameA man can fall many times, but he isnt a failure until he begins to blame somebody else. (John Burroughs)Fire her, she set me up! John yelled quite loudly. He was incredibly angry and for good reason. However, he was really angry at the wrong person. What he was really saying was […]
Written by info on August 16th, 2007 with comments disabled.
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There is an old saying that goes like this. “You get what you pay for.” In the wholesale business this is way too true. We’re going to take a look at some of the wholesale scams that go on constantly and how to avoid them. It’s not as easy as it sounds.
Let’s face it. We all want to pay as little for something as possible. It costs so much to live as it is and the last thing we want is to overpay for something. So it is very tempting to try to get things wholesale to save a few dollars. The problem is this. When you’re dealing with wholesale items you’re paying a much lower price than you would for the same item retail, but how much less should you pay? This becomes a problem on two levels.
The less serious level is actually paying too much for the item. In many cases what the wholesaler will do is display a retail price for the item that is actually inflated by as much as 100% over the actual retail price. For example, a Sony DVD that normally goes for $150 they may have listed for $300. Then they give you a wholesale price of say, $175. It sounds like a good deal but in actuality you’re paying $25 over retail and you’re not even aware of it. Scams like these go on all the time, not only with wholesalers but with retailers passing things off as being on sale. They jack up the price and then lower it to make it look like you’re getting a bargain.
The more serious level of wholesale fraud is when you’re confronted with a price that just seems too good to be true. In many cases, it is. Let’s take that same Sony DVD that goes for $150 retail. A good wholesale price for it may be something around $75 to $100. But then you’ll see somebody is offering the item for a ridiculously low price of $39. You know in your heart that there is no way they can offer a $150 DVD for $39. Something has to be up with this unit but the deal is too good to pass up and you go for it. One month later the DVD completely stops working.
So what happened? Something else that is just way too common. The make and model of the DVD is misrepresented. Maybe it’s a Sony. But the model is not the $150 model that is of better quality. The model is one of their cheaper models that normally goes for $50. You get it for $39 which isn’t even much of a bargain at retail let alone at wholesale. This is one of the worst abuses of wholesale fraud that you will find and it goes on all the time.
So what does somebody do? How can you tell if something is too good to be true or should be cheaper than what you’re paying? Simple. You have to be educated. Whatever it is you’re thinking of buying, go directly to the company manufacturer for details on the item. Find out the retail price. If the Sony DVD that they say they are selling to you is $150 and you find the model is actually one of the cheaper brands then stay away. If they’ve jacked up the price then confront them. Tell them you know this is a $50 unit and you’ll give them $25 for it and no more. In other words, don’t let yourself become a victim.
It may seem like a lot of work to have to do all this research for each item, but if you want to keep yourself from getting ripped off that is exactly what you’re going to have to do.
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Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Wholesale
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To Blame or Not To BlameA man can fall many times, but he isnt a failure until he begins to blame somebody else. (John Burroughs)Fire her, she set me up! John yelled quite loudly. He was incredibly angry and for good reason. However, he was really angry at the wrong person. What he was really saying was […]
Written by info on August 16th, 2007 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on ethics.
I bet if you have been on the internet very long you have seen a few programs that market themselves with a matrix system. In the 2X2 matrix, the recruit would sponsor two and those two would sponsor two, filling the 2X2 matrix with six people.
There are questions by many whether this is legal or not. That is almost like asking if concrete is legal. It really depends on how it is used. The matrix system itself is not illegal, unless it is used to perpetuate a fraud or a transaction or exchange of money without any substantial product or consideration for the money spent.
The 2X2 is limited in its width, but is still based on a pyramid with three levels. Level one has 1 person, level two has 2 people and level three has 4 people for a total of 6. A pyramid is not illegal in itself unless it is a pyramid scheme designed to separate people from their money and not deliver any goods or services in exchange.
If a company or individual is selling a product and uses a matrix system as a means of measurement then it certainly is not illegal or fraudulent. If the person parting with funds receives a tangible good or service for their money regardless if there are other considerations or possible bonuses for doing so, then that transaction is legitimate.
There are many products being marketed with a matrix system. Usually you fill up a matrix and move up to another level, which measures your performance and entitles you to move up to the next level, which has greater rewards for filling it.
You most certainly should do your due diligence to check out any program before you become involved with it, but dont let names, titles or fears rob you from benefiting from these legitimate programs.
As long as there is immediate transfer of goods or services and not just a promise of hot air, you are good to go. Then there is the question of the main product the system is marketing. Is it a good product? Is there a great need or market for the product? Is it something you could see yourself being involved in with pride?
The biggest question of all is, will you be left on your own after you give up the money? There are many great programs around, but even a great program, great marketing plan and exceptional product does you no good if you cant sell.
Oh yes, someone has to make contact, and make sales. There are systems now springing up designed to answer this difficulty. Some systems now offer to do the selling for you. Now isn’t that nice. You get leads and let someone more equipped on the team do the talking.
I know that most of us fit into that category. Who wouldn’t like to have a sales force built into their new business venture?
No doubt there are opportunities popping up and you have to be careful to choose the right one for yourself. I am involved in a few of these myself, so I have had to make many of these choices.
Do your homework. Check everything. Check it again. Make sure of the people involved. Take your time. If they want your money before you get much information, run for the exit.
Any legitimate company will be willing to give you most any information you need to make a decision. If not bid them goodbye. There are some great opportunities to make some real residual income. Just make sure you do your homework before you take the critical step.
But dont become paralyzed with fear to the point you cant be objective or you might as well unplug your computer.
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Author Terry L. McGee resides in West Virginia with Wife Valerie. He is an internet marketer and writer. For more information call 304-210-2297 of email tmcgee@charter.net.
To Blame or Not To BlameA man can fall many times, but he isnt a failure until he begins to blame somebody else. (John Burroughs)Fire her, she set me up! John yelled quite loudly. He was incredibly angry and for good reason. However, he was really angry at the wrong person. What he was really saying was […]
Written by info on August 16th, 2007 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on ethics.
If you receive a letter and a check in the mail, telling you have won some bit of an Irish Lottery, BEWARE!!
I am Sherry Asbury and I live in Portland Oregon. In todays mail there was a very authentic-looking check for $2,800 and some odd dollars, along with a letter telling me a computer had pulled my winning numbers.
It seemed, at least for a few precious hours, that I might win the further amount of $120,00! This check was to defray the costs of winning an overseas amount of money. Some $5,000 would be taken out of the winnings for the sponsor who was helping me.
Well, I thought to myself, that sounds reasonable. They do it for the funds. I showed the letter to our services co-coordinator (I live in in public housing for the disabled). He, too thought it might be legitimate.
So I called Canada and spoke with Tracy Richardson of Alpha Finances. She bristled when I said I couldnt believe it was real. Of course it is real! She asked if I had deposited the check and I told her I had not until I spoke with someone. Well, says she, Take the check to your bank and deposit and then call me back.
So off I go, dreaming of buying all the books I want and not having to fear if I can pay the rent each month. Of course, I am not gullible. I do believe that if it seems too good to be true, it most likely is However, the check looked valid and an old disabled lady can dream.
The teller took the check and spoke to his manager, made several phone calls and then told me they were keeping the check, as it was fraudulent. So much for a biscuit with my supper! Or a pair of shoes that fit correctly.
I wasnt really surprised. I tried calling the woman again and of course could not reach her. I did leave a message filled with pathos, guaranteed to draw a sigh of guilt from the most heinous heart. However, I find this kind of thing cruel and disgusting.
They play on folks who genuinely want the win to be true; who will follow through and do whatever is necessary. Now, I have no idea what would have happened if the teller had deposited the check. It might have tied up my funds (42 cents), and made my account a mess.
Tongue-in-cheek aside - if you receive any sort of letter and or check - do not believe for one moment it is genuine! Go to legal aid, or have your bank carefully check out the source.
So, Tracey Richardson, here I am at end of day, having walked to the bank on my bad knee and with a temperature, trying for a dream. The bank has your check, dear and I may forgive you one of these days. . . maybe.
To Blame or Not To BlameA man can fall many times, but he isnt a failure until he begins to blame somebody else. (John Burroughs)Fire her, she set me up! John yelled quite loudly. He was incredibly angry and for good reason. However, he was really angry at the wrong person. What he was really saying was […]
Written by info on August 16th, 2007 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on ethics.
You can be the most intelligent and learned person in the world, but without wisdom you do foolish things.
What do I mean by that? Think of all the scandals or mistakes involving important persons that have taken place throughout the world at various times. Think of the Watergate Scandal, Enron collapse, child abuse, failed marriages, bankruptcies, misappropriation of funds, corruption…
When these events take place and it involves high profile persons, one begins to wonder what on earth makes them do such things. Clearly, it is not because they are not aware of such consequences. And it would not be their lack of intelligence. Almost all the time, these people are excellent in their field of endeavor - to the public.
To the public, these people are exemplary and many of them have become role models for the younger generations or even to their colleagues.
Why then do they make such foolish mistakes?
Was it greed, overconfidence, abuse of power, selfishness? It’s a strange thing though. When a wrong action has not been brought to the public’s eyes and still within closed doors, nobody dares to comment on it. We have a way to tone down the words to make it sound right. Thus greed will be described as ambitious, go-getter, successful, achiever, top scorer, best performer…
Nobody bothers how it will affect the other person. Everybody minds their own business. Everybody has to toe the line - even when something is not right.
“When I speak, everybody listens!” “If you don’t listen, or dares to reason out with me, you are against me, you are fired!” These are the favorite words of leaders who have become too powerful for their own good.
One thing stands out very clearly. No matter how powerful a person has become to the eyes of the world, there is still some invisible force(s) that is even more powerful than they are, that they cannot control. Something that can control their actions to make them do foolish actions.
It’s called human weakness. It’s a very real characteristic of our human condition. This weakness cannot be overcome by studying in the universities, colleges, scientific research laboratories or any other places you can think of. It’s ever present as our inheritance when we were born into the world.
People who have become powerful are prone to forget about this, after all, they are more powerful than most people and they can do almost anything, and get away with it. They have become proud and their hearts are hardened so that they cannot accept advices anymore. “Nobody can touch me, so why bother to listen?”
Do you agree that there is something even more powerful that can guide us to do the right things rather than to do things right? Do you notice that children can sometimes be wiser than adults? The ability to see the truth is a God given gift.
Acknowledging that humans are prone to make mistakes could be the first step to becoming humble. And to become humble is to find wisdom. How can one become proud when one realizes that one is just a tiny drop of water in the vast ocean of the infinite universe?
The leaders of the world need to discover this thing called humbleness. Then only can they avoid making foolish mistakes.
Thomas Yoon specializes in cartoon illustrations that will make an impact on people’s opinions. Subscribe to engineering facworld ezine. More information on engineering at Marine and M & E Engineer.
To Blame or Not To BlameA man can fall many times, but he isnt a failure until he begins to blame somebody else. (John Burroughs)Fire her, she set me up! John yelled quite loudly. He was incredibly angry and for good reason. However, he was really angry at the wrong person. What he was really saying was […]
Written by info on August 15th, 2007 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on ethics.
Exxon recently reported that their annual profit for 2006 was in excess of $39 billion dollars. Notice I did not say earnings, I said PROFIT. When this was being announced on the evening news, the reporters interviewed several people who were pumping gas into their Luxury SUVs at their local Exxon station. They were all singing the same song, "It is immoral for Exxon to make that much money while we are spending over $2.00 a gallon for gasoline." Some were even suggesting that the government take action to keep Exxon from making that much money.
Does it make you angry to hear that kind of news? Not me. I believe in capitalism. It is the American way. It is why this country has propelled itself to become the world leader in commerce. It is why we have the highest standard of living in the world. It is why Bill Gates can go from being broke to the richest man in the world. It is the "American Dream." To expect our government to put restrictions on corporate profits is an insult to our way of life. Besides, the report on Exxon did not explain the whole story. In order for Exxon to earn $39 Billion in profits, it had to spend $338 Billion, making its profit margin a slim 10.46%, hardly anything to write home about.
Why aren’t we complaining about Citigroup who earned 24.03% margin by gouging us with credit card interest? Or how about Pfizer and Merck, pharmaceutical companies who earned 22.82% and 19.59% margins respectively, while many of the people in this country can’t afford medication. No, instead we cry over Exxon’s earnings, not realizing that each year we spill more gasoline at the pumps than the Valdez did off the Alaskan coast.
Exxon is no different than any other business. They sell their products at a price based upon what the market will bear in order to make money, support economic growth, and satisfy their stakeholders. If you are unhappy with the profits of Exxon, buy your gas someplace else, stop driving around in inefficient, gas guzzling automobiles, support other forms of energy as a way to reduce our dependency on oil, car pool, use mass transit, but stop whining when you hear reports that prove capitalism works.
By the way, Microsoft earned 25.86% margin last year and soon we will all be forced into buying their new operating system, Vista. Are you enjoying that big screen TV you have in your living room? Texas Instruments earned 18.51% margin last year. Face it, Capitalism is not a dirty word.
To Your Success,
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Rick Stephens is a recognized business advisor and consultant. He specializes in working with small to mid-sized business owners to strengthen their business processes and ultimately grow their business. Rick has been accredited by the Institute for Independent Business, an International accrediting body for senior executives.
Rick holds an MBA from the LeTourneau University located in Longview, Texas.
Rick Stephens is the Principle Advisor of the Consulting firm RG Stephens & Associates located in Plano, Texas. Rick offers business owners the opportunity to meet confidentially to discuss any business issue they may be experiencing. His initial meeting is always free and without obligation. Call him at 972-578-7895.
To Blame or Not To BlameA man can fall many times, but he isnt a failure until he begins to blame somebody else. (John Burroughs)Fire her, she set me up! John yelled quite loudly. He was incredibly angry and for good reason. However, he was really angry at the wrong person. What he was really saying was […]
Written by info on August 15th, 2007 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on ethics.
There is an expression in selling:
Never get in the way of a customer who wants to buy something!
Its practical advice, dont you think? After all, if theyre making it easy for you to profit, why slow them down?
Only a fool would do that, or so it seems.
For instance, in the car leasing business, there are some clients who want to have cloth seats, believing them to be cheaper, and perhaps more comfortable than vinyl or leather.
But on many models, having cloth seats actually makes leases much more expensive, because frighteningly few want to buy a used Cadillac with anything other than leather beneath their derrieres.
So, if the expected resale value is less, then the monthly lease payments go up.
Clearly, if the customer is driven by a need to save money, ordering cloth, is outright foolish, but the customer, particularly one waving cash in your face, is always right, isnt he?
Does the seller have a duty to set him straight, to try to talk him out of his choice?
If he does, might it be risky? Could he lose the sale, entirely?
What, exactly, is the ethical obligation of a salesman when a customer wants to buy the wrong thing?
If he really wants it, can it ever be wrong?
Dr. Gary S. Goodman, President of Customersatisfaction.com, is a popular keynote speaker, management consultant, and seminar leader and the best-selling author of 12 books, including Reach Out & Sell Someone and Monitoring, Measuring & Managing Customer Service, and the audio program, The Law of Large Numbers: How To Make Success Inevitable, published by Nightingale-Conant. He is a frequent guest on radio and television, worldwide. A Ph.D. from USC’s Annenberg School, a Loyola lawyer, and an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker School at Claremont Graduate University, Gary offers programs through UCLA Extension and numerous universities, trade associations, and other organizations in the United States and abroad. He is headquartered in Glendale, California, and he can be reached at (818) 243-7338 or at: gary@customersatisfaction.com.
To Blame or Not To BlameA man can fall many times, but he isnt a failure until he begins to blame somebody else. (John Burroughs)Fire her, she set me up! John yelled quite loudly. He was incredibly angry and for good reason. However, he was really angry at the wrong person. What he was really saying was […]
Written by info on August 14th, 2007 with comments disabled.
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