by Jack Lee
Imagine that a restaurant has pints of beer for a buck on Thursday evenings. You arrive with your friends only to discover that the discount doesn’t start for 45 more minutes. What do you do? (A ) You do nothing and just pay the regular price. (B ) You leave an travel across town to another place where you know they have a drink discount at this time. ( C) You ask the manager if he could make an exception to the rule because you drove to his place to enjoy a few beers and have dinner too. (D ) You leave, kill some time somewhere, and then come back in 45 minutes, thus complying with the rules.
Most people would do (A), (B) or (D), but it’s the (C) people that get their way more times than not in life. They are the customers will to send a meal back if it isn’t cooked right or isn’t up to their quality. They complain if the hotel room is not as clean as advertised and so on. They are the squeaky wheels of society and while you may not always agree with their boldness, their wheels get greased more than yours.
We see the squeaky wheel theory at work all the time by special interests groups and by lobbyists and right now who are those making the most noise? It’s the Tea Party. There is no other group politicians would like more not to offend than the Tea Party and therein is their power. Their activism is power because they didn’t roll over and accept the status quo. It goes back to the old saying; you teach people how to treat you by what you tolerate.
I’m encouraging you to stand up more, be heard more, and be prepared to enjoy the satisfaction from knowing you were not intimidated – you at least gave it a shot. Then when you do succeed, where previously you might have otherwise not bothered, it’s even more gratifying.
By the way, the above example is based on an actual incident. As I recall, the manager had this perturbed look on her face, as in, how dare I even ask? She had a bad attitude and stood her ground. Okay, so we spent about $70 that evening – at another restaurant and we won’t be going back to hers. A good manager would have found some way to keep us there and not let us walk out disappointed or angry and that’s the other lesson here. There’s a time to be bold and there’s a time to be gracious.
I wouldn’t go back either Jack, unless the beer for a buck had a specific time frame in the advertisement. You can’t blame the owner when you expect more than advertised. I also agree that most owners would find a way to make you happy to wait but that would depend on how many people would then also ask for an exception.
Your points about the Tea party are right on the mark. What I find interesting is that they are being accused of extremism when in fact their #1 “demand” is for fiscally sound policies. What is extreme about that? They aren’t asking for special considerations for any group but instead something that would help every American.
Let ’em squeak!
The Republicans ain’t gonna listen to them either!!!!
This is where you are mistaken, Tina.
The TEA party, being funded by corporatists (The Koch Brothers, eg), cannot possibly be of any help to individuals,as corporate and individual goals are necessarily different!
What the TEA party wants will NOT help every American.
NO one is accusing them of extremism in what they say they want. The extremism claim in for other reasons. As in the TEA party is EXTREMELY uninformed when it comes to how America is supposed to work.
The TEA party is EXTREMELY uninformed about the history of America–especially the last thirty years!
The TEA party is EXTREMELY rude when dealing with people they disagree with.
The TEA partiers are EXTREMELY uninformed about who they are in bed with!
The TEA party are EXTREME Republicans–like the John Birch Society.
Quentin, this is jack and I wrote this, but as for the tea party, it is a big tent and lots of people are under it. The center pole of the tent is about fiscal responsibility and protecting our personal liberties. Beyond that, there is no platform, but there are opinions. Opinions are just that. I don’t know who the Koch bros are and I’ve never met a Bircher in our TP that I know of, but I do know people in the leadership of our local Tea Party and nobody has ever received their marching orders from on high. It has never, never, ever happened. The issues we support are as stated, fiscal responsibility and the preservation of our Constitutional rights…period, end of story.
The point of my article was never about the Tea Party, it was about the squeaky wheel and I said you may not agree everyone’s bold approach on every possible thing, but the point is if you are a little more assertive and try to stand up for yourself you will inevietably have some positive results. The TP was just an example of a group standing up to be heard and having an impact. I never said they were good nor did I say they were bad, I just used them as an example.
Tina, it was for a specific time period, 8 till 11 and we were there at 7:15. We were the only people there and it wouldn’t have hurt a thing if they said, well, since you’re the only people in line here we’ll give you the deal an hour early. Just keep it to yourself, because we can’t give it to everyone that shows up at 7. Or they might have tried, “Sorry, we can’t cut the price early, but tell you what, if you want to buy your pitcher and food now, I’ll buy you a round of pints on the house, nothing in the rules about that. Ah, now that is creative thinking, it is positive customer relations, it is operating in the theory that tis better to get half a loaf than none and do whatever you can within reason to make your customers happy…I like this way of doing business. Whats up with an hour any way? Its just an arbitrary moment of time. We didn’t drink any more beer than if we had showed up an hour later. We bought a pitcher and the food and left, just as we intended, but we didn’t do it at the place that copped an attitude with us.
Jack, it sounds to me like you were asking for special treatment, and you’re mad that you didn’t get it. Is that really the kind of attitude you want us to associate with the Tea Party?
Q: “The TEA party, being funded by corporatists (The Koch Brothers, eg)…”
The Koch brothers have involved themselves in politics just like a lot of other big spending organizations and groups…they do it up front. Soros, on the other hand plays with hundreds of organizational fronts and works in secret, as most avowed Marxist do. All kinds of organizations and groups involve themselves in politics. Big spenders include the University of California, Banks, unions, the teachers association, etc. But more importantly, the Koch brothers didn’t fund the TP in Chico and it didn’t fund thousands of others across America. So their chunk of the Tea Party support stands alone…we are not a centrally planned group…we just share the same ideas on a few very important issues. It’s a big tent filled with people from various political affiliations.
Also…I said the TPers “demand for fiscally sound policies” would help every American. I don’t know how you can argue with that without sounding like a blithering idiot…but you go right on ahead. Oh, that’s right, you did:
“…cannot possibly be of any help to individuals,as corporate and individual goals are necessarily different!”
Nonesense! Fiscally sound policies in our government benefit the entire nation! Fiscally sound poilicies would balance the budget and create surpluses. Fiscally sound policies would simplify so that waste and fraud would be minimized. Fiscally sound policies would create a healthy economy and that would mean sufficient opportunity for everyone. Government interference and excessive involvement is what creates lobbyists. Liberal demands for a nanny state creates the need for lobbying by corporations to protect themselves from rediculous and extreme regulation…like cap and tax.
Our readers might enjoy this article which expresses my thoughts on the matter:
http://mises.org/Community/forums/p/6989/107583.aspx
Ludwig von Mises Institute
The Tea Partiers are extreme in your opinion. Fine! If anyone here had even the slightest idea of what you think we might have something from which to judge that opinion. However you seem only able to criticize, mock, generalize, and act extremely smug. So why would anyone give a rats behind about what you think? Pick a subject and educate! You have a forum here…but instead of utilizing it you use it as a place to barf.
What would you do to make government work and end corporatism?
Jack I was in agreement with you…about all of it. I just know that in a few circumstances, a long line of people waiting behind you for instance, it might be unwise for an owner to make an exception. What happened to you was a big mistake on the part of the restaurant. The customer is someone you want to please so he will come back AND tell everyone he knows about his wonderful experience! If you were the only ones there who would know? I particularly like the one solution you suggested because it allows the owner to stick to his time frame and make you feel welcome at the same time. It’s what I would have done:
The TP experience was good for America. I’ll bet that a number of people who once held the attitude that our votes and voices didn’t count have changed their tune now. The question is can we sustain this enthusiasm and gain a few more enthusiasts along the way? Time will tell.
Chris: The great thing about private business is that an owner has options and if he wants to stay in business he will make sure the customer is well served. Win/Win
Good story about how to respond to poor customer service, I disagree totally with Chris and his interpretation of your story, I agree with ask!, I did not hear you state you demanded, I just read ‘ASK’. The sole purpose of any retail establishment is to separate the customer from their money ,while making them feel good about it.
I had a similar experience many(too many)years past in Portland at a higher end restaurant that gave poor service one visit (they over looked us for seating) just do to our sport causal appearance (although they had no dress codes). Anyway we went home and changed into our business suits, we went back and were seated immediately, I asked for the manager ,gave him my business card and informed him that as of this evening this establishment was off limits to my company (about 3000K monthly)). The owners sent many a invitation to come back, it was not hard to ignore them. End result we found another establishment to do business with.
That is a good lesson for all business people to learn – thanks Harold, I like your style!
Thanks Tina, good comments!
Chris, there is a difference between special treatment and fair treatment. I had hope the manager would be reasonable (fair) – that’s all. I asked nicely – I was rebuffed in a not so nice way. I don’t like being treated like that, so we left.
If I show up early I will pay the full price for the beers until happy hour starts. On the other hand I will not let bad customer service or a bad product just go by without speaking up. I know you guys find it hard to believe that I would actually pitch a bitch about something. Have a great weekend, keep warm.
Jack: “I asked nicely – I was rebuffed in a not so nice way. I don’t like being treated like that, so we left.”
This is actually a demonstration on a small scale of how the free market works. If companies or establishments treat customers poorly they lose business. If they do it off enough they go out of business. On the other hand if they offer a good product at a reasonable price and treat their customers well…gangbusters. The reward comes not just from coldly “maximising profits” but by responding to the customer.
Quickbooks/Intuit may soon lose a lot of small business customers. Instead of making their product available per the customer’s requirements they are attempting to lock customers in with changes that can’t be avoided. It’s a good product but I don’t want to be intimidated into handing over to them certain things I can do myself. I hope their competitors are paying attention and expanding their programs to include what I like about QB and Intuit Payroll.
OK, Jack, I’ll take your word for it that the manager was rude to you. I just couldn’t resist the jab. 😉
I also can’t resist commenting on this, from Tina:
“Soros, on the other hand plays with hundreds of organizational fronts and works in secret, as most avowed Marxist do.”
Soros is actually quite open about the causes and organizations he funds; here is a long list of them.
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:4AEI3sXUUHMJ:www.soros.org/initiatives/usprograms/focus/security/focus_areas/nshr-grantees-20101201.pdf+cato+institute+open+society+institute&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
One notable grantee: The Cato Institute, which you often reference on this blog. Not sure why an “avowed Marxist” is funding a conservative think tank. Do you think this is one of his “organizational fronts?”
Chris: “Soros is actually quite open about the causes and organizations he funds…”
Yes he’s quite open about being for human rights and justice and all that but he is much more covert about his ultimate aim which is the destruction of the US as a free capitalist nation. An IBD article describes his more recent covert activities:
http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=498740
You can discover more about his goals and the organizations he funds on these sites:
http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/viewSubCategory.asp?id=589
http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/viewSubCategory.asp?id=1237
http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/viewSubCategory.asp?id=1238
Open secrets has this to say about both Soros and the Koch bros:
http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2010/09/opensecrets-battle—koch-brothers.html
“Not sure why an “avowed Marxist” is funding a conservative think tank…”
CATO is a Libertarian think tank. Soros shares some Libertartian views. But another answer would be, whatever serves his ultimate purpose. One grant to CATO was for an educational series about drugs:
http://www.soros.org/initiatives/drugpolicy/focus_areas/grantees/cato_2008
You might also find this CATO artivcle of interest:
http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=9744
So much of what Mr. Soros does is aimed at destroying America. Here are a few of my Soros supported favorites:
Prison Moratorium Project: This initiative was created in 1995 for the express purpose of working for the elimination of all prisons in the United States and the release of all inmates. Reasoning from the premise that incarceration is never an appropriate means of dealing with crime, it deems American society’s inherent inequities the root of all criminal behavior.
National Immigration Forum: Opposing the enforcement of present immigration laws, this organization urges the American government to “legalize” en masse all illegal aliens currently in the United States who have no criminal records, and to dramatically increase the number of visas available for those wishing to migrate to the U.S. The Forum is particularly committed to opening the borders to unskilled, low-income workers, and immediately making them eligible for welfare and social service programs.
Pacifica Foundation: This entity owns and operates Pacifica Radio, awash from its birth with the socialist-Marxist rhetoric of class warfare and hatred for capitalism.
Earthjustice: This group seeks to place severe restrictions on how U.S. land and waterways may be used. It opposes most mining and logging initiatives, commercial fishing businesses, and the use of motorized vehicles in undeveloped areas.
Bottom line for me is that the Koch brothers are Americans using their money for liberty and free markets. Those are American ideals.
Chris, most Americans believe in freedom and equal justice. We also have a long tradition of staying out of each others’s business, a good tradition IMHO in a free society. The shear numbers of leftist activist organizations is astounding and all of them pressing for government intervention and for America to turn away from this tradition of freedom and justice towards a centrally planned society where everything is directed from on high. We are dangerously close now…government decides what lightbulbs we can purchase and which words are off limits, and how many persons of color must be given loans for new housing (whether or not they can afford them). Soros is for much more of that…are you?
I know you have a few pet issues but do you really want government deciding everything for you?