SPOTLIGHT ON HEWLETT PACKARD, NETFLIX AND BANK OF AMERICA
(STOCK TICKERS: HPQ, NFLX AND BAC)
This week the third embarrassing installment of corporate retreat...
Hewlett Packard did this after a knee-jerk announcement to sell off their PC Division by saying they now planned to retain the same division. Netflix, whose board members consist largely of public and scrutiny, nixed their corporate plans to split their streaming and DVD by mail businesses after losing customers in droves from the announced price and ordering changes. Bank of America rounds out the three, with their latest cowering move. After only a few weeks of announcing plans to charge their debit card users $5 a month, they did an about face and said they would not be moving forward with those plans because of customer backlash and complaints.
The great news is that customers voices are being heard, based on the trend of these major corporations retreating from unpopular changes directly affecting their customers (usually in the pocketbook, but not always). The Occupy Wall St movement could use some major lessons from this. Instead of hanging around Wall St. or (you fill in the state) Capital building with malaise, simple "occupation" or picketing against capitalism and corporate greed, they should organize mass blackballing of purchases or services from corporations that are deemed not worthy due to their corporate practices.
Use the ever-growing and unparalleled media power of Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to hit them where it hits the most, through discontinued patronage. On the positive side, use the same media to direct followers to buy from companies that produce quality products or services at great value, are socially and environmentally responsible or maybe just leave customers with positive buying experiences (a la Costco or Trader Joe's). Your individual voice will be heard by impacting their earnings positively or negatively...and when done in masses, will drive corporations to do things to retain or win back customers (lower prices, better quality and better buying experiences).
Companies this large and in the public spotlight can ill afford to make huge decisions that directly impact their customers, shareholders and all important public perception, then retreat upon consumer backlash.
NOTICE TO CORPORATIONS: You gotta have a spine, no matter how small or big you are. So make your decisions and live with them...In most cases, it means making better decisions to start with, so no retraction is ever necessary.
Again, this is directed to Occupy Wall St'ers...some lessons can still be learned from the message in Tower of Power's 1976 song "Can't Stand To See the Slaughter", performed live below. You just need to express yourself...as a consumer...
(STOCK TICKERS: HPQ, NFLX AND BAC)
This week the third embarrassing installment of corporate retreat...
Hewlett Packard did this after a knee-jerk announcement to sell off their PC Division by saying they now planned to retain the same division. Netflix, whose board members consist largely of public and scrutiny, nixed their corporate plans to split their streaming and DVD by mail businesses after losing customers in droves from the announced price and ordering changes. Bank of America rounds out the three, with their latest cowering move. After only a few weeks of announcing plans to charge their debit card users $5 a month, they did an about face and said they would not be moving forward with those plans because of customer backlash and complaints.
The great news is that customers voices are being heard, based on the trend of these major corporations retreating from unpopular changes directly affecting their customers (usually in the pocketbook, but not always). The Occupy Wall St movement could use some major lessons from this. Instead of hanging around Wall St. or (you fill in the state) Capital building with malaise, simple "occupation" or picketing against capitalism and corporate greed, they should organize mass blackballing of purchases or services from corporations that are deemed not worthy due to their corporate practices.
Use the ever-growing and unparalleled media power of Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to hit them where it hits the most, through discontinued patronage. On the positive side, use the same media to direct followers to buy from companies that produce quality products or services at great value, are socially and environmentally responsible or maybe just leave customers with positive buying experiences (a la Costco or Trader Joe's). Your individual voice will be heard by impacting their earnings positively or negatively...and when done in masses, will drive corporations to do things to retain or win back customers (lower prices, better quality and better buying experiences).
Companies this large and in the public spotlight can ill afford to make huge decisions that directly impact their customers, shareholders and all important public perception, then retreat upon consumer backlash.
NOTICE TO CORPORATIONS: You gotta have a spine, no matter how small or big you are. So make your decisions and live with them...In most cases, it means making better decisions to start with, so no retraction is ever necessary.
Again, this is directed to Occupy Wall St'ers...some lessons can still be learned from the message in Tower of Power's 1976 song "Can't Stand To See the Slaughter", performed live below. You just need to express yourself...as a consumer...
