View From the Road
A Recipe for Failure
By
Sep 18, 2008 - 10:27:34 AM

This week started out with a long list of plants to be delivered to a once major national store chain in Broward and Dade counties. I will not name the chain store; I will let your imagination work.

I had twelve drops to make, starting about noon on Monday. I was able to achieve the delivery of four, and made it to the location of the fifth that evening.
The once popular chain has suffered in the last few years as a result of its largest competitor dominating the marketplace.

I tell this story to illustrate the sadness of watching a business fail in a changing marketplace. The attitudes and the enthusiasm were very apparent in the people I met. It spelled out a recipe for failure to me. I was saddened by this. I have some years in the retail business and basic dealings with the buying public. I was struck by the complacency that I saw in all twelve locations. Serious, unfriendly faces greeted me. I noticed it was the same greeting they were offering their customers.
For a moment, I was compelled to offer some encouragement and even thought that I could impact their attitudes, but alas, I could see the futility in this. I sadly kept my thoughts to myself, and cheerfully thanked them and went on my way. I was feeling a sense of sadness as I watched a once admired business slipping into the abyss.

I sadly watch as things change in our economy, and look for ways to adapt and move in a successful way into the future. Some things will just fade away. As darkness overtakes them, new companies will emerge and fill the void.

I only hope that the people left in the wake of this economic storm will realize the contribution that they made to the situation, and come away willing to be positive and not carry the virus of discontent with them.

The deliveries all complete, I looked back with concern.

This, I know is a little different from what I usually write about, but I was impacted by my  observations.

My “View From The Road” has a business and economic slant to it this week.
 



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