topic Re: Taking business elsewhere.... in Community Chat

Taking business elsewhere....

Group 5 minus 1 — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 13:37:45 GMT

I think that most business' don't care if you do. NOW you take several million or in todays world billions then that might make a diff.

But I'm just sayin'.

Re: Taking business elsewhere....

justashopper — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 13:41:51 GMT

Yeah... I agree. It's a different world.... it's all about shareholder value, not sales.

Re: Taking business elsewhere....

manny2 — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 14:01:16 GMT

I think it matters. That's why they do small focus groups. They can see what works, and why people leave. If you leave they know there are many more just like you leaving, so I do think it matters in the end.

Re: Taking business elsewhere....

millieshops — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 14:02:05 GMT

@justashopper how can that be true when shareholders make no money or less money depending upon sales?

Re: Taking business elsewhere....

Foxxee — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 16:46:32 GMT

Customers are really in control if only they knew that. They make or break a company.

One customer can cause a significant loss just by posting on social media. Their followers will post the comment, their followers post the comment, and so on, and before we know it, that one post was sent to millions of people.

I've seen it done. One retailer lost 10% in sales in several months. That sent a message to those sitting in their ivory tower.

Fancy business footwork making the company look better than it had been doing will not rescue them if sales continue to slide.

Re: Taking business elsewhere....

manny2 — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 14:40:38 GMT

@Foxxee wrote:
Customers are really in control if only they knew that. They make or break a company.

One customer can cause a significant loss just by posting on social media. Their followers will post the comment, their followers post the comment, and so on, and before we know it, that one post was sent to millions of people.

I've seen it done. One retailer lost 10% in sales in a few weeks. That sent a message to those sitting in their ivory tower.

Good point about social media @Foxxee Locally we had a business that was price gouging during covid. People got on social media and all but destroyed his business.

Re: Taking business elsewhere....

justashopper — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 15:07:51 GMT

@millieshops

That is the logic assumption. But it's not always what is actually happening. Stock prices are based on perceived value. If the company has strong sales but there are other factors, investors may not bite.

Look into the investment firm Robinhood and Gamestop. This stock had an amazing climb, but not because of sales.

Some examples of low PE companies that are also perceived as having room to grow and therefore attractive to investors -- GM, Verizon,conco phillips.

If a company's sales dip, but there is the perception that the future for the company is bright, it may not be impacted.

Publicly traded companies court investors at the top of the house. If they can secure investment, they can dominate the market and therefore force sales. Think about an industry where the mom and pop stores have been forced out. Like big home improvement stores or even walmart. You might have a crappy experience, but you'll be back.

Of course, as with any economic or busness strategy, it is an opinion and it is that elusive mix that makes anything successful. For a small business owner, sales is king. But they are not usually at the mercy of stock prices and investor favor.

Re: Taking business elsewhere....

Laura14 — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 15:17:45 GMT

To take your business elsewhere there has to be an elsewhere. And there has to be a lot of elsewheres for there to be any price or service competitiveness that matters.

Otherwise you end up with a few options where each business stays right in line with the other which ultimately means nothing of any real value to the customer at all.

Pick your poison.

Re: Taking business elsewhere....

Group 5 minus 1 — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 15:54:11 GMT

And who is being naive now,Kay.

Re: Taking business elsewhere....

Still Raining — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 16:27:35 GMT

I have indeed boycotted certain businesses. Doubt they have noticed.

However I don't think that is what this tread is actually about, right?

Re: Taking business elsewhere....

Tinkrbl44 — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 18:55:02 GMT

@Still Raining wrote:
I have indeed boycotted certain businesses. Doubt they have noticed.

However I don't think that is what this tread is actually about, right?

@Still Raining @Group 5 minus 1

I'm not sure what the thread is supposed to be about, because I don't understand why someone would be taking their business elsewhere in the first place. High prices? Poor quality?

How many purchases anyone makes in a year might be very small, so who would notice?

@Group 5 minus 1

What did you have in mind when you posted this? Is the comment based on bad customer service .... or something else? Was this just an "in general" comment?

Re: Taking business elsewhere....

Porcelain — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 23:26:56 GMT

They fear social media though. If you have a following and complain about a particular company's services, you can get a response real quick.

Re: Taking business elsewhere....

Group 5 minus 1 — Sun, 27 Mar 2022 11:33:00 GMT

@Tinkrbl44 Just a general comment.

Re: Taking business elsewhere....

AngelPuppy1 — Sun, 27 Mar 2022 12:10:52 GMT

I think for the most part - the old saying about the customer is always right and the idea of really treating the customer well has gone by the way side. At least when it comes to large chain stores anyway. Maybe for smaller stores or mom and pop stores, if there are any left, they strive to keep the customer happy. I go to Walmart all the time to do food shopping and buy other necessary items because of the price and availability, but truthfully, I don't think they worry about whether a customer is that happy or not. Most of the time when I go there, they have maybe one cashier and then the self check outs - the ones with the large conveyor belts are all closed with the exception of maybe 1 or 2. And then when you have large food orders, you have to use the small self check outs with the smaller conveyor belts which is a lot harder. And the majority of the time if you ask an employee a question, they are crabby and not nice or pleasant. This is just one store, so....

Re: Taking business elsewhere....

Group 5 minus 1 — Sun, 27 Mar 2022 12:21:00 GMT

@AngelPuppy1 : So true,so true.

Re: Taking business elsewhere....

Laura14 — Sun, 27 Mar 2022 12:22:33 GMT

The problem with happy customers is on the customers. People have gotten ridiculous to the point that it is commonplace now to be abusive towards staff and corporate doesn't care because they need bodies which are hard to hire these days.

As someone in customer service, there are still good ones out there but we're really tired of being screamed at for decisions and abilities we haven't been given to help our customers.

Customers want to do what they want to do when they want to do it and in some cases it's just not possible. When I get regular requests to credit a bill because they went on vacation and were not in town to patronize us, we have an issue. When the mortgage company or landlord credits you for your hotel room, come back and see me and we'll talk, maybe.

Re: Taking business elsewhere....

CalminHeart — Sun, 27 Mar 2022 12:26:17 GMT

@Tinkrbl44 wrote:
@Still Raining wrote:
I have indeed boycotted certain businesses. Doubt they have noticed.

However I don't think that is what this tread is actually about, right?

@Still Raining @Group 5 minus 1

I'm not sure what the thread is supposed to be about, because I don't understand why someone would be taking their business elsewhere in the first place. High prices? Poor quality?

How many purchases anyone makes in a year might be very small, so who would notice?

@Group 5 minus 1

What did you have in mind when you posted this? Is the comment based on bad customer service .... or something else? Was this just an "in general" comment?

I choose a company, they don't choose me. I choose where I spend my money. I won't shop at certain businesses either. It may not make a dent in their profits but it fits my morals.

Refusing to buy from any company can be permanent or temporary depending on why... politics, salary policies, how they outsource, my own experience with their company, price comparisons, refusing to pull out of Russia right now, or whatever.

Re: Taking business elsewhere....

Tinkrbl44 — Sun, 27 Mar 2022 18:50:40 GMT

@CalminHeart wrote:
@Tinkrbl44 wrote:
@Still Raining wrote:
I have indeed boycotted certain businesses. Doubt they have noticed.

However I don't think that is what this tread is actually about, right?

@Still Raining @Group 5 minus 1

I'm not sure what the thread is supposed to be about, because I don't understand why someone would be taking their business elsewhere in the first place. High prices? Poor quality?

How many purchases anyone makes in a year might be very small, so who would notice?

@Group 5 minus 1

What did you have in mind when you posted this? Is the comment based on bad customer service .... or something else? Was this just an "in general" comment?

I choose a company, they don't choose me. I choose where I spend my money. I won't shop at certain businesses either. It may not make a dent in their profits but it fits my morals.

Refusing to buy from any company can be permanent or temporary depending on why... politics, salary policies, how they outsource, my own experience with their company, price comparisons, refusing to pull out of Russia right now, or whatever.

@CalminHeart

It makes complete sense, and I tend to do the same thing.

Having said that .... if you decide to stop purchasing from any company, do you bother to TELL THEM? If they don't know you are actually protesting something, I think we miss the mark. Customer complaints can be very motivating.

IMO, if there's a problem, I think we should give that retailer the opportunity to "make it right". If that doesn't result in the desired outcome, I think the best next step is complain on their facebook (or wherever) site. CS seems to get nervous when customers badmouth a company in a place where other customers can see the posts.

It's the old saying .... the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Re: Taking business elsewhere....

candys mine — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 12:07:39 GMT

@Group 5 minus 1 I think you are right.

Must make sure to have an Elsewhere of equal or superior caliber lined up before bridges are burned.

That threat and the one of leaving a bad review are so rampent in the service industry that "firing clients" has become a real response to those threats.