Posted by AccountingWEB on 08/10/2011 - 15:08
Sometimes things in business just leave me scratching my head.
What am I talking about? Here are a few items that blow me away:
*How Walmart does more than ONE BILLION in sales every day. When you really think about it, the sheer mass of it is startling.
*The way that competitors treat one another. Our company aims to treat everyone with respect and with overall sound business practices. We’re far from perfect, but we try to do the right thing. Recently, one of our competitors reached out to me to schedule a call regarding the possibility of our participating in one of their events. Wanting to have friendly competitive relations, I agreed to the call. I dialed in at the scheduled time…nothing. I followed up with several e-mails and a couple of calls…nothing. Finally, I asked for an explanation as to why I was being ignored, especially when it was their idea in the first place! I later received a “sorry for the delayed response, this is our busy season, we won’t be talking” sort of e-mail. Again, I repeat, this competitor took the initiative to ask for my time—and then ignored me royally. If anyone on my staff did that, they would be written-up immediately. That is not the way to treat people, competitor or not.
*Those companies and firms out there who still honor their charitable contributions and efforts—and even increase them—in these very challenging economic times. Yet another thing that makes our planet great.
What are your thoughts and observations? Add to the list below.
Sometimes things in business just leave me scratching my head.
What am I talking about? Here are a few items that blow me away:
*How Walmart does more than ONE BILLION in sales every day. When you really think about it, the sheer mass of it is startling.
*The way that competitors treat one another. Our company aims to treat everyone with respect and with overall sound business practices. We’re far from perfect, but we try to do the right thing. Recently, one of our competitors reached out to me to schedule a call regarding the possibility of our participating in one of their events. Wanting to have friendly competitive relations, I agreed to the call. I dialed in at the scheduled time…nothing. I followed up with several e-mails and a couple of calls…nothing. Finally, I asked for an explanation as to why I was being ignored, especially when it was their idea in the first place! I later received a “sorry for the delayed response, this is our busy season, we won’t be talking” sort of e-mail. Again, I repeat, this competitor took the initiative to ask for my time—and then ignored me royally. If anyone on my staff did that, they would be written-up immediately. That is not the way to treat people, competitor or not.
*Those companies and firms out there who still honor their charitable contributions and efforts—and even increase them—in these very challenging economic times. Yet another thing that makes our planet great.
What are your thoughts and observations? Add to the list below.
Reader comments
The Walmart machine can't be stopped. They lost me as a shopper when they dropped their US products only stance.
Posted by Barry Zaygen from Rochester NY on Aug 10, 2011 - 5:03 pm
Our accounting firm is trying to do more charitable work, but like you said, times are tight.
Posted by Ralph Bradshaw from Chicago on Aug 10, 2011 - 3:39 pm
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