lxdude
02-13-2010, 11:14 AM
Mike, Eddy,
It was not meant to relate to Kodak. Kodak's quality is exemplary.
Nor was it even meant to bolster the original statement that Kodak was killing off a product by not shipping it. It was a response to a statement by MikeSeb making fun of that statement.
I was just saying that I have seen profitable products killed off by inaction. I did say that I wasn't saying that's what Kodak did.
Then a question was asked in response to that, asking why anyone would do that, as it's illogical, and why they would risk bad will when profit is still assured.
My account was to show illogical behavior in which a company short-sightedly abandoned customers and substantial profit because it was easier than continuing to serve their needs. They also failed to serve their top customers by often shipping products with quality problems. Neither was logical, but that's what they did, and it eventually led to disaster.They frittered all the trust and good will that they had earlier worked to establish, by then electing to coast on it. (BTW, Mike, parts were made to customer prints and spec.)
That was to illustrate that companies' behavior is a product of the attitudes and thinking prevalent within them. People in business are not immune to irrationality and poor judgment. I don't know how many times I said something didn't make sense, only to be told not to worry about it.
I've been in the position of running things myself, and can say I've also made obvious mistakes that others could see, dismissed advice that would have saved me headaches if I'd followed it, and had my share of D'OH! moments.
The lesson that has served me best is to really listen to input, without consideration of the position of the person giving it. My father has often said that he learned more from his employees than he ever taught them. Once I took that to heart, my job got easier and my decisions better.
It was not meant to relate to Kodak. Kodak's quality is exemplary.
Nor was it even meant to bolster the original statement that Kodak was killing off a product by not shipping it. It was a response to a statement by MikeSeb making fun of that statement.
I was just saying that I have seen profitable products killed off by inaction. I did say that I wasn't saying that's what Kodak did.
Then a question was asked in response to that, asking why anyone would do that, as it's illogical, and why they would risk bad will when profit is still assured.
My account was to show illogical behavior in which a company short-sightedly abandoned customers and substantial profit because it was easier than continuing to serve their needs. They also failed to serve their top customers by often shipping products with quality problems. Neither was logical, but that's what they did, and it eventually led to disaster.They frittered all the trust and good will that they had earlier worked to establish, by then electing to coast on it. (BTW, Mike, parts were made to customer prints and spec.)
That was to illustrate that companies' behavior is a product of the attitudes and thinking prevalent within them. People in business are not immune to irrationality and poor judgment. I don't know how many times I said something didn't make sense, only to be told not to worry about it.
I've been in the position of running things myself, and can say I've also made obvious mistakes that others could see, dismissed advice that would have saved me headaches if I'd followed it, and had my share of D'OH! moments.
The lesson that has served me best is to really listen to input, without consideration of the position of the person giving it. My father has often said that he learned more from his employees than he ever taught them. Once I took that to heart, my job got easier and my decisions better.