There are some days when I wonder if going into business makes one lose their 'common sense' mind. Where people are brain washed to crunch numbers, to worry about money the lack thereof or the tons they have. Where they think that they have to give themselves more money and the underling workers less...
Because really.
It's stupid.
Why is it that whenever sales aren't going as planned the solution is always either a) to raise prices or b) cut back in areas to save money or even c) both of those.
It's not a solution guys. Really it's not. I don't know who ever thought it would be.
What does raising prices do?
It decreases your market for those who can AFFORD to buy said product.
It decreases the likely hood people will continue to buy said product if the price keeps going up.
- Of course, there are exceptions if the item is considered a 'necessity to live' but for the more 'luxury items'. Why keep increasing the prices?
Really, if anything I would say do the opposite.
Decrease prices.
Why? Because if you decrease the price, then people think they are getting a better deal so they'll buy more. If anything, I would do a cycle program. Put an item on sale, then lower the price, put it on sale again, lower the price, raise the price but put the item on sale, Basically just flux prices drop them raise them but drop them, keep them within an affordable means.
Because seriously. You'll probably get more people who will buy 10 tickets for a dollar than 2 tickets for a dollar. You have to think of the consumer. Make the deal seem better, the more they buy. So instead of spending 10 dollars on 20 tickets, they may spend $20 for 200 tickets. If it seems like a good deal for the consumer...there's no way to stop them from gobbling up the deal.
Just the same as with parking passes for universities. You could get 6 people who buy a pass for $100 or you could get 15 people who buy a pass for $40. You get the same amount of money, but more people fill the parking stalls so the parking garage doesn't sit empty half the day. If the deal seems affordable. if it's worth it, more will come. They'll tell their friends. People talk when they find good deals. And if it's a good deal, the people they talk to would be more interested in going to get that deal themselves. But if it's a bad deal? People talk. "Can you believe they're asking this much for this thing?!" If it doesn't seem like a good deal...people will talk, but in the negatives. Convincing other people it's not worth it to get that product.
So what's the story? Keep the prices low, keep customers happy. Do sales. Buy 2 get one free things. You know. Convince the customer they're getting a good deal and they'll spend more money.
But there is more.
Cutting back. Why? Why do that? Sure, if there are areas not doing well it's fine to cut back, but if a store is busy, there are things one shouldn't cut back on.
Like employee hours.
Sure, it saves the company money to not have to pay out as much money to their little worker bees who keep the machine running for them.
But it's detrimental in the long term.
Cut hours?
That means there's less time to do their tasks. That means the workers get more stressed about getting the tasks done. There is only so much time that can be cut before the workers think it's too much for too little. Seriously. How can the head people expect a 4 hour job to be done in 2? Oh, let's just have them do it while the store is open. But ha. Jokes on you head people. The tasks take like four times as long to get done. Why? Because there are customers. And customers have to be helped first. So what's the result? Tasks take longer to get done, employees are more focused on trying to finish said tasks than being relaxed and helping customers. Give them more time to get tasks done before customers arrive, and guess what? They're able to focus more on the customers. They're able to get product out onto the floor, make sure that everything is stocked up on the shelves so that customers don't leave frustrated because the truck full of supplies remains unloaded because there isn't time to unload it while the store is open.
Really...give employees their hours.
How can customers spend money if they can't find help to help them? How can the big heads of the company expect there to be good customer service in each and every department if only one or two people are scheduled in that department for the entire day? What if there is a rush? People are impatient. If it takes too long for their turn, they'll leave. They'll go to competitors because they know they'll get service faster. Plus, the worker will feel the need to rush, which means they might not spend the quality time need to on each customer. They won't be able to do more than give surface solutions, which means a potential loss of money that each customer could be spending. Because there is no time to dig deeper on what else the customer might need that they did not realize they needed. Quality time with customers is hard to come by when there is only one person scheduled in the department at a time. So why not have backup? Have at least two people scheduled at all times, so when those random rushes of people surge through the store, it's easier to make sure everyone remains happy, they get their needs satisfied, and waits remain short.
Because really, the goal is to make money right? Is it really more beneficial to cut hours to a store? Sure, it saves money, but is it the right amount of saving money? Or would there be more money spent if more employees were available to help out? If there were less tasks expected to be performed at unrealistic speeds? If more time was given everywhere.
Time is money. I've heard that before. But time is more money if the time is given to the employees to do their job well without losing customers. Understaffed stores do more poorly than overstaffed stores in my opinion.
*shakes head*
Like I said....sometimes I wonder what happened to 'common sense'
It's been overshadowed by a little thing called "Greed" That's what.
>.<
Yah, thoughts been on my mind recently. Thanks for letting me vent them here. :)
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
The Dream
I had a headache, a major one that was making it difficult to concentrate, and when I looked at the mirror, I saw angry blue veins extending from my left ear onto my cheek with the skin around it discolored purply/red. It wasn't good looking, so I tried to cover it with my hair, but my dad had noticed something was wrong, and when I showed him the veins he got all serious. Telling me that we needed to go to the hospital now. But not to show mom because she would get worried. So I had to try and hide my face as I gathered things to go to the hospital and get out of the house without mom realizing that that was where we were heading. Somehow we managed to get into the truck and started driving off....
But then the unholy tones of daylight pulled me away....
and I became myself again. (still with a very real headache) :)
-S.N.D
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