Hearthlist Digest #420 - Wednesday, March 1, 2000 Re:Majestic by "Slavens Inc" <[email protected]> Is it ethics or just being a jerk? by "Roger Sanders" <[email protected]> Re: Nominations by "Tex McLeod" <[email protected]>
(back) Subject: Re:Majestic From: "Slavens Inc" <[email protected]> Date: Tue, 29 Feb 2000 21:44:56 -0500 Is there any truth to the rumor that Majestic is breaking up again? = Thanks Dennis
(back) Subject: Is it ethics or just being a jerk? From: "Roger Sanders" <[email protected]> Date: Tue, 29 Feb 2000 21:46:16 -0500 Craid Issod wrote: >It is sad but true that many, if not most North American businesses do not place =93self worth=94, >=93ethics=94 and =93long term=94 high on = their mission statement. >There are of course, exceptions to the rule, and we do have some fine companies in the >business, but very few are customer driven. >Maybe we need some educational sessions at our trade show on =93ethical business=94. ----------------------------------------------------------- Craig, There is a big difference between being a jerk and being unethical in business. Your statements implying that our suppliers must be =93customer driven=94, =93long term=94 and provide a sense of =93self worth=94 to be ethical, are completely wrong. We don=92t need nannys, we need good suppliers. Reality is that many beginning suppliers need to be =93short term=94 or = they will never get to =93long term=94. Being =93short term=94 is not being = dishonest or deceitful. Those suppliers that don=92t become =93long term=94, do go = out of business. It=92s simple. It continues to happen all around us today in every industry. Reality is that it=92s not the suppliers responsibility to give dealers a feeling of =93self worth=94 and love. We have all gotten over not being loved by VC. There are many good suppliers out there that provide a much healthier business relationship for dealers than the old VC did. Reality is that many suppliers are not customer driven, but they are still ethical in their business relationships. It=92s a management decision to be blind, =93know it alls=94. I think you would call this = being a jerk. It is their choice. We don=92t have to buy from jerks. We hearth dealers have lots of choices in suppliers. We only have to look around and talk to other dealers. It=92s called the (mostly) free market. It=92s our responsibility as dealers to sort things out and buy more from the good guys and less from the jerks. If we don=92t do this, we dealers become jerks ourselves. It=92s up to us to do something about a problem and not just whine while we wish that someone will take care of us and give us a feeling of =93self worth=94! Just getting rid of a jerk supplier will give a retailer a great feeling of =93self worth=94. The HPA doesn=92t need to become our hearth nanny and try to teach business ethics to those alleged wicked and evil suppliers. There are a thousand business ethics courses available elsewhere. The jerk suppliers already =93know it all=94. The truly unethical suppliers know exactly what they are doing is wrong and would be the last to take a business ethics course. Neither will be around very long if we quit buying from them.
(back) Subject: Re: Nominations From: "Tex McLeod" <[email protected]> Date: Tue, 29 Feb 2000 21:47:10 -0500 Thanks Dan for the nomination for Earthstove but in the spirit of the nominations perhaps you could provide just a bit more info on why they are being nominated and in which category. The categories proposed are: the environment, the community or giving back to employees. In the spirit of sharing, I would suggest it is okay to self nominate as well. With that in mind, I would like to make one more nomination, if I may. Community category; The Great Eastern Ontario Stove Changeout (GEOSC) and Cal Wallis, project coordinator. Stealing a page out of the NEHPA book, participating industry members donated and installed 4 wood heating systems in suitable locatons during the changeout which took place this time last year. In additon to doing good deeds these events also contributed greatly to the success of our changeout by attracting high profile polititians and the news media who helped to tell the good news story for our industry and renewable wood heat. Our first system was instaled at the Old Barracks in Carlton Place, a community / emergency center used during the ice storm. The installation was coordinated by Advanced Prefabs, stove by Napoleon, chimney by Selkirk Metalbestos, hearth pad by the Foundry and installation by Top Hat. Our second system was installed in a childrens group home in McDonald's Corners . Insert provided by Regency, stainless liner by Security Chimneys, installation by Wood n Energy. The third system was installed in the Ryandale Shelter For the Homeless in Kingston. The stove was provided by Osburn, ICC donated the chimney and double wall pipe, the hearth pad was provided by the Foundry and the installation was provided by Renewable Energy of Plum Hollow. Our fourth installation was at a Children's Aid Society Home in Apple Hill. Pacific Energy provided the stove, Selkirk Metalbestos provided the chimney, the hearth pad by the Foundry, double wall pipe by Energy Vent, Cameron Fireplaces did the installation. You are all heroes in my book, folks that walk the walk.