My view of competition is not from the vendor's point of view. While
being a vendor and having to suffer the aches and pains of outrageous
efforts within this environment, I see competition from the client's point
of view. Competition means that the client has the free ability to chose
between my stuff, my competitor's stuff, other stuff, or no stuff.
Competition, from the vendor's point of view may mean getting the best of
my competitor, adding more value than the other guy, but from the client's
point of view, it simply means choice. As a customer, I can make a
decision. The vendor and the vendor's competitor can educate me (call
this the sales pitch) but I get to decide. Witness the difference in a
non-competitive environment, let's say any government office, particularly
at the local level. If they had to compete for my services, perhaps they
would be more gentel, at least they might simile once or twice, try to
gain my acceptance. In non-choice environments, the vendor can dictate
and I can't decide. I prefer competition. This is not cooperation, it is
merely the environment wherein the consumer gets to decide.
When we relate to the decision of the consumer, call it cooperation or
competition, we have to perform. In trying to incite our employees, I
want them to care about the decision of the consumer. Service staff are
more generally interested in moving data not in servicing the people.
Reviews of service staff are often related to the abiltiy to move data
without mistakes, quickly, and to be pleasing with whom to work. I want
our employees to care about the consumer. When what is personal to them
relates to how they care for that decision, I would think that they would
attend to that matter more than those whose personal interests are in
pleasing the boss. This means, the employee gets paid for helping my firm
entice the customer to make a decision in favor of my firm. I think they
should get rewarded when they do this. Contrary wise, I think they should
suffer the aches and pains for not helping the customer make a decision in
favor of my firm.
-- Tom Burke Ramona, California toburke@cts.com