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Why Some Businesses Dont Get The Business

Written by: Don Zihlman

Article Overview: Some, not all small business people want to blame the big stores for their woes. It's time they ask themselves the question, "Am I taking care of my customers?"

Why Some Businesses Dont Get The Business

I don't think a day doesn't go by that I don't read an article or hear a comment about how the likes of Wal-Mart and other "Big Box" stores are destroying small business. Small local businesses are destroying small business. OK, not all of them but there are just enough small businesses out there who are on a mission to put themselves out of business.

Where do I begin? There is a local bakery-coffee shop near my house that offers hi-quality baked goods, a wide variety of "gourmet" coffees, they installed a "drive-thru" window, but they don't open until 7am on weekdays! Meanwhile, at 6:30am the line at the Dunkin Donuts is so long, cars are backed out onto Route 1. No offense to Dunkin Donuts, but those cars aren't lined up for gourmet donuts. But they are open to serve the large number of customers who are on their way to work before 7am!

Another example: My wife wanted to order a bunch of boutonniere's for my daughter's wedding. Every florist shop she visited, told her what was wrong with what she wanted. (I don't know boutonniere's, but she said she just wanted something simple.) It took her going though a list of several florists, before she found one where she described what she wanted and they said "Sure, no problem." Why did all the others want to tell her what was wrong with what she wanted and tried to talk her into something else? Beats Me!

I keep hearing how we should support local businesses. I don't think we should "support" them, they should support the customer. That's why they're in business. If a local business can provide me with what I need and at a competitive price, I'll buy from them. But too many small businesses seem to want to do everything on their terms, rather than the customer's terms. Mr. and Ms. business person, you have to be willing to be open when the customer wants to buy, and provide the customer with the product or service they seek. It's not just small businesses who are guilty of this, almost every bank in the United States still operates like it's the 1920's. Bank branches are retail establishments, yet most of them close at 4 in the afternoon, some even at 3. That's great for the person who gets out of work at 5!

If you are going to be in business, be prepared to work for your customer. That's why you are there. The media seems to hate Wal-Mart, but Wal-Mart's parking lots are full. They cater to their customers.

Let me say something positive about a small local business. The hardware store at the corner up from my house, has continued to thrive even though Wal-Mart is only about a mile down the road. Why? In my own experience they help the customer, provide a decent selection of products, and guess what? Their prices are competitive with Wal-Mart. They take care of their customers. I'm done ranting. I feel better now.

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