For me the feature image talks volumes to me. I see the times of each generation, their struggles and their common ground of wanting a brighter future for their children than they had. I see division in each generation as each blames the other for problems the younger generation faces today. Most importantly I see the mistakes they make being the exact same mistake the previous generation made. Generations of proving Einstein right in his definition of insanity “doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results.”
Yes, generational, time and time again we make the same mistake over and over again while we expect different results in a better tomorrow. A better tomorrow that is never going to come.
Today I make more money than my Dad ever dreamed he would make in a year. Frankly I make in a year about the same amount it took him three years to make. Yet, is my life better? Sure I make more but I also pay more for everything I need in life. Cars, houses whether renting or owning, food, clothes, phones, insurance, water, heat, etc. So if you define only amount made, yes it is better today simply comparing the numbers in terms of income. But I also pay more for taxes than Dad did, property, sales and income tax is higher today than it was then.
Service today is worse than it was then and worse from when I was younger than what I see today. People and companies caring for more than a paycheck existed, today that is rare no matter how many feel good stories you read. We all know this, we cannot deny it. We got here because every generation accepted things as they are because “it is the best we have”. Yet, being older having seen better times I assure you what you have today is NOT the best we have, no where close to the best we have.
Where you live doesn’t make this any different for you than it is for me. Maybe the reason you accept something is different, but things continue getting worse because we accept it rather than expect better.
This is the way we live life. We think only of what is happening in our lives and not others. We have been trained for centuries to think about money and material items rather than people. We ignore the older generation, after all it is the older generation that has made things so bad for my own generation. That older generation sees improvement in money and material items and feels lost as they see what was lost in the connection to people.
Long gone are the small town businesses that funded your schools activities. Long gone is the local mechanic who would extend credit without massive credit checks simply because you needed to have a functional car for work. Long gone is the small bakery who would make the perfect treat for you. Small eateries are gone, where everyone knew your name, what you wanted when you came in, etc. All of it gone.
Service and support from companies today is not about helping you solve a problem it is about did you pay for the support I am giving you. Then it is not even mediocre support anymore. But they are sure to take your support credits and ask you to do more to aid them in debugging their problem.
Gone is the day companies make sure updates work as users will expect them to work. Gone are cases where products are released and each user can experience different problems. This shows no consistency. Yet we accept this because after all “it is the best we have.”
Know I do know the mistakes I made and when I talk about them I’m talking about how to stop making the same mistake, trying to point out you are making the same mistake my parents did, my grandparents did, and on and on. Yet, the younger generation does not want to hear they are making a mistake. After all they have been taught they can do no wrong and even when they are wrong they are right. I mean here have your trophy you lived.
I know I cannot speak for everyone, but I can say to the younger generation you will never know that fantastic feeling walking into a business where every employee knows you; they know what you want, what you like and even ask how your family is doing. They found time to talk to you even if it wasn’t selling you something. Today, not if they aren’t selling you something; then they have no time for you.
The bigger the chain the worse it is. Imagine a Walmart where employees know who you are. They spent time selling you what you need rather than what they want you to get.
I know my methods work quite effectively; they worked generations past; they will work today.
I worked at Best Buy many years back. With each and every customer I would take time to ask them questions about what they wanted to purchase. I would make the conversation personal letting them know I do not want to sell them anything they do not want or need. I want to make sure they get what they need. I never pushed the service plans or anything else Best Buy wanted you to try and sell. I would ask those I thought would benefit and some others; give me a no and it would be the last you heard of it from me. During this time I pissed off a lot of sales people in the computer department. Word spread and people would come asking for me, then leave if I wasn’t there to come back when I was working. Why, because I NEVER sold them what they did not want or need. If they looked at a higher priced computer and we had a lower priced one with the same features; I would show them the lower priced one. Why? Why should I tell my customers to pay more for something they can pay less for when I know I wouldn’t buy the higher priced one? Yes, I was this way at a Best Buy, a big box store in the day and I refused to sell any other way. Customer loyalty is based on trust and relationships. Always true no matter what you think “is the best we have.”
