So a guy comes in around closing time, and proceeds to tell one of my employees what an asshole I am.
O.K. Fair enough.
He then proceeds to tell my employee that a competitor of mine from about 7 year ago had hoped to "put me out of business."
I can't tell you how many times I've heard that over the years.
Thing is, that response to me being an asshole, or rude, or not doing what they wanted, or not having the stuff they wanted, or being too high priced, or whatever -- is so disproportional to the crime.
All of those things are pretty small potatoes in the grand scheme of things.
By all means, don't shop with me. There are a couple of small businesses I've had run ins with here in town, but I've never mentioned their names here. I've never wished their demise. I just don't go there anymore. (Interesting, they seem to be going strong...)
Wishing me to "go out of business?" That could mean me going broke. Who knows? Losing my wife, my house, my mind, any number of dire circumstances Me not having play space for Magic? Oh, well. Right?
Wishing for someone to go out of business -- that's a harsh thing to wish on someone because I didn't have what you wanted at the price you wanted, or whatever.
Just saying.
The other thing is -- that expression seems to be an almost dead giveaway that the person wishing it has the wrong priorities. Worry about your own business. Worry about your overhead and your product costs and stuff like that. Don't be focusing on someone else's business.
Besides that, there is almost no reason that businesses can't co-exist. No reason, for instance, that you have to take a "Him" versus "Me" attitude, no reason to take sides.
I suppose this is an object lesson for me, when it comes to chainstores. While I might not have much sympathy for the business model, I certainly have for the employees -- even management, I suppose. Since I'm management.
Observing and wishing for are two different things, I suppose. I hope.
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8 comments:
It's one thing to know who your competitors are but never speak poorly of them. I just wrapped up 12 years of owning a business here in town and while I owned it, that was one of the golden rules...never speak poorly of your competitors. Sadly, that kindness and professionalism was rarely returned. When you're well known, you've got a target on your back. I've sat through countless meetings with new client just ragging on the competition and never once did I say anything more than, "I'm sorry to hear you had a bad experience and hopefully we can do something different for you"
Always take the high road...because you can. I think it's tough to scratch a living out of Central Oregon as there is only so much pie to go around. People who say they're in business to put someone out of business are delusional and probably so underwater in their personal lives(emotionally and financially) that they have a hard time coming to grips with reality. It's never their fault either...
Your comment is right on.
I think the word "professionalism" comes in here.
I admit, I wasn't always so enlightened. The first couple times I was challenged by a competitor, I didn't like it much since I was pretty sure there wasn't enough business for both of us and I wasn't going anywhere!
But I learned...
Also, I was shocked to find I was considered the "big guy" -- the "establishment" if you will. When I considered myself to be -- the hardy little scrapper, underdog....
Some people just wanna tear ya down. Some folks want me to be something I am not. It's kinda the point of being an independent business person, ya choose to be what you are. While, yeah, market conditions dictate, you are the one in charge.
I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that your scenario is similar to mine when they complain... in-store gaming. I can't make them happy so I don't funnel my efforts that way.
Brett
I observed how much complaining went on with Warhammer and it was enough to warn me away -- with all the other drawbacks such as a large stake in inventory space and time.
Lots of little petty feuds and antagonism it seemed to me from the outside. Same for magic. I can't sell low enough for them to ever really like me, so I don't try.
Same thing happened with buying cards and comics from people -- there are less complaints from not buying at all than from buying as fairly as I can and still stay in business.
Keep it simple, stupid.
Since I have no end of ways to spend money, I just eliminated it.
The savage wars of the nerds.
;)
Jim
Nothing so savage as a nerd.
Hobbyists at heart don't think anyone should make money at what they love.
I think the most hurtful thing that happened in all these years was when the sport card bubble collapsed and I had all these former friends and customers attacking for charging too much when I was losing money at a fatal rate.
It wasn't until I RAISED prices -- exactly the opposite of what they wanted -- that I started to get healthy again.
Selling more at a loss turns out not to be as good a strategy as selling less for more. (For all kinds of reasons -- less risk, less inventory, as well as making an actual profit on what you do sell.)
I still get people in from that era with a chip on their shoulders -- even though it's been 20 years since cards were really viable...
When price becomes the only measure of a products worth, than it's in trouble.
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