Boycott Sears and Lowes

[Elmer Fudge]

Re: Boycott Sears and Lowes

Originally posted by PW2:<br /> Sounds like you should advocate a boycott of Texas, not Sears.<br /><br />.

Don't mess with Texas

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: Boycott Sears and Lowes

PW2,<br />FYI The big "D" is a 5 Billion dollar a year corp. they are listed on the S&P 500. They operate on a modified business system borrowed from the Japanese, The Toyota Business System. They grew to their current size by acquisition, and consolidation. One of their current directives is the relocation of a pre determined percentage of their core businesses to "Low Cost Regions" (read: China and the Pacific Rim). They are vary; vary, good at what they do. I lived with the Big "D" ideologies for a year. What I witnessed in their plant, were two types of employees, upper management big "D" corporate types, and the rest of the staff. The general moral was horrendous. Nobody I delt with on a day to day basis was content or felt secure in their employment. The long time employees stated after the acquisition, the big ”D” eliminated most of the employee related perks such as company picnics, profit sharing and bonuses. Corporate bottom line improved immediately. The “new big “D” executives looked like corporate geniuses, but....Can ya guess why the moral was so bad? Add to that, “Lean Manufacturing”, one of the key points in there production philosophy, which BTW they apply to every aspect of their organization. L/M boils down to two types of change: 1) Eliminate unnecessary work, and 2) consolidate responsibilities. First one no one can argue with. The second is open to debate, if the employee’s work load is not full already, there is room for additional tasks, but if their time fully utilized??? I understand how business operates, (at least I think I do) and in my business we strive to achieve a set profit each quarter. If we exceed our goal and stay within our budget a large portion of the additional profit goes back to the employees. But we do not have investors to answer to.

 

[NYMINUTE]

Re: Boycott Sears and Lowes

America is quickly becoming a service related country. Manufacturing is dead in the US.

 

[rogerwa]

Re: Boycott Sears and Lowes

As an employee, you need to look at yourself as a business partner with the company. You market a service at a price. If they do not like the service or disagree with the price, they will source it elsewhere. You on the otherhand are not bound to the company,if the arrangement doesn't work for you, you can sever the relationship.<br /><br />As a business partner you need to ensure that the service/value proposition is always there. If not you need to either increase the service or lower the price. The best defense against unemployment is a good ofense. Keep your skills where the market needs them. Make sure you are changing with the changing climate. Also know when to fold and move elsewhere.<br /><br />The idea that there is loyalty with todays employers is a false one. they may show loyalty, but that is only for their gain. Don't expect it because you won't get it. As soon as it is a bad propsition for them, your gone. My guess is that it would work the other way around as well.

 

[SoulWinner]

Re: Boycott Sears and Lowes

This thread reminds me of the time I had to watch "Roger and Me" in my Business Ethics class. The socialist Rabbi adjunct professor thought that GM was unethical for shutting down unprofitable plants. I buried that poor bastid all semester long. Every day he would put forth some wacko socialist ideology, and I would tear it to shreds. He couldn't take being made to look like an idiot every day he tried to defend his socialist ideology against a rabid capitalist in a college of business environment, and he NEVER taught again. <br /><br />I spoke to him no too long ago. He remembers me well, and still thinks I'm a "fringe element, not to be taken seriously." That's what he called me in class on a few occasions. He's a nice guy and his heart is in the right place, but he is no businessman.

 

[DJ]

Re: Boycott Sears and Lowes

and still thinks I'm a "fringe element, not to be taken seriously."

Maybe he was looking in the mirror when he was talking to you. <br /><br />Ah, but we must take those people seriously. They have infiltated our educational system. That was one thing "infiltration" that people like Hitler found to be quite effective.<br /><br /> I've got new for some of you folks. You can't sell at a loss and expect to make it up in volume.<br /><br />If you're not competitive, you're not competitive.<br /><br />Look around your own house. Where were the products made? By whom? I'll bet overseas and/or by a foreign owned company, if built here.<br /><br />With those buying habits, we have nobody but ourselves to blame.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Boycott Sears and Lowes

Sorry guys, but Sears stuff(tools) are American made and I will buy my tools there.<br />Sorry about your job situation, but don't blame Sears. Just my .02 worth. Ok, let me have it.

 

[eeboater]

Re: Boycott Sears and Lowes

SBN I'm on your side. I love my american-made Craftsman tools.<br /><br />Sean

 

[dolluper]

Re: Boycott Sears and Lowes

I have alot of them and I'm Canadian come buy them here same price as you pay but in cheap Canadian dollars,lots of half price sales and excellent replacement policy anywhere sold<br />But losing a job sucks bigtime

 

[Barlow]

Re: Boycott Sears and Lowes

Sears customer service .. oh brother .. what a JOKE!<br /><br />$1200 Kenmore fridge ... compressor had a Techumseh sticker on it w/machine stamp: "MADE IN BRAZIL" <br /><br />with all the lies and BS shuffling I just went through with a 2.5yr old fridge going out <br /><br />Between no calls from numerous people when they said they'ld call.<br />-Repair center calls of guys calling in sick and no shows (twice)<br />- Operations Managers and THEN General and District Managers telling me they have no control over the situation or NOT CALLING or ANSWERING or saying the same ole BS.<br />-Their "call center" in Austin, TX that tried shafting me on 9 different calls.. I couldn't even understand one of the "Indian" folks they had there .. <br /><br />Sears is off the list.. they can pack sand!<br /><br />after this rodeo I won't step foot back in the place.. I'll spend MY money elsewhere.<br /><br /><br />Sorry for the corporate move BL .. good luck with it but, as you can see I have another reason.

 

[dolluper]

Re: Boycott Sears and Lowes

Just the tools Barlow nothing else there interests me it's all chinnie stuff than north american

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Boycott Sears and Lowes

Yea Barlow, just the tools is all I'm into with them.

 

[Elmer Fudge]

Re: Boycott Sears and Lowes

My wife and i bought a used pair of Kenmore washer and dryer once, it lasted us 15 trouble free years, we left it behind when we sold the house.<br /> At the new house, we replaced them with a new set of Kenmores including a refridgerator,all from Sears, they are now 4 years old, so far no problems.

 

[Barlow]

Re: Boycott Sears and Lowes

yea I hear ya guys.. I've got my share of Craftsman hand tools mixed in with Allen and Proto..<br /><br />Have a sour taste in my mouth over this past rodeo..<br /><br />E.Fudge .. I wish you well with your new stuff.<br /><br />I too have bought all of my appliances from them since owning my first house and sent numerous people their way with new home appliance allowances and had chosen them to supply condo and apartment projects.. the rodeo ended any further business from me and mine. <br /><br />When you can't work efficiently with some one - there's always someone down the block glad to see you and willing to work for your business.<br /><br />(pardon the rant and thread interuption BLU LUNCH)

 

[KaGee]

Re: Boycott Sears and Lowes

Originally posted by SBN:<br /> Sorry guys, but Sears stuff(tools) are American made and I will buy my tools there.<br />Sorry about your job situation, but don't blame Sears. Just my .02 worth. Ok, let me have it.

Likewise.

 

[PW2]

Re: Boycott Sears and Lowes

Like I said, I have no idea of the particulars involved with "the Big D"<br /><br />Unfortunately, there is no law against running a company poorly, or in making poor business decisions.<br /><br />And a good share of the problem is how we analyze and rate a company's performance. It seems to mostly hinge on quarterly results, and does not generally reward long range thinking, which leads, of course, to short-sightedness. That, btw, is not the Japanese model.<br /><br />It is a good lesson, however, in the need for consistent personal planning, both financially and professionally, that we all need to remember.

 

[POINTER94]

Re: Boycott Sears and Lowes

And a good share of the problem is how we analyze and rate a company's performance. It seems to mostly hinge on quarterly results, and does not generally reward long range thinking, which leads, of course, to short-sightedness. That, btw, is not the Japanese model.<br /><br />PW2 is right in my opinion. Too often the value of a company is how the stock has done in the past quarter. Of course the value of a company is a really not a single number. It is an indicator and not much else, and is based on people who frequently have little or no insight into the markets that are being attacked. One of the things that can't put a price tag on is the value of a skilled workforce, and in fact it is frequently overlooked. The cost of a workforce is a tangible number and therefore is the metric used to assess value to an individual company.<br /><br />You also may want to look at your states taxation policies they can create impossible hurdles for a company to overcome. (fixed cost)<br /><br />As for the book who moved your cheese? you may not want to read it until you land another job. I found the book to be trite and full of simplistic drivel. It may however provide you with a template for what will happen to everyone who isn't completely prepared.

 

[BLU LUNCH]

Re: Boycott Sears and Lowes

Limited-Time last post hit the whole thing to the tee. Today the Japs Kaizen 5K a week team is here to screw to plant over worse than we all ready are. If you are not sure or unfamilar what a Kaizen is do a search on Kaizen here, there is a good thread about them and what stupid ideas they had us do,,,,,,,

 

[dogsdad]

Re: Boycott Sears and Lowes

I can sympathize with a guy losing his job, but I am glad to know that at least the job is not going to China. For insisting that the products continue to be made in the USA, I'll have to support Sears and continue to buy Craftsman tools.<br /><br /><br />-dd-

 

[PW2]

Re: Boycott Sears and Lowes

Blu,<br /><br />I read that previous thread re Kaizen, and I found a good share of Jap bashing, but precious little information.<br /><br />I recall years ago attending a seminar in which we recieved a coin--which I still have--on one side of that coin were the initials E K S, and on the flip side were the initials N K E.<br /><br />They stood for: Everybody Knows Something, and Nobody Knows Everything.<br /><br />It is interesting to me that the person considered the father of modern day quality control- Deming--got his start in Detroit but was widely ignored in Detroit, and is considered a hero in Japan.<br /><br />We have in my work implemented over the years many of his programs, primarily his statistical process and quality control programs, and they are fabulously effective.<br /><br />And I have faced the standard "we tried that before, some 20 years ago" when a new idea for anything is rejected out of hand...<br /><br />Now I am not suggesting they know everything, but they sure as heck know something, and there almost always is a better way to do almost anything.