Good attempt at getting some ideas Rich. The advice and responses show that you'll never please all the people all the time and how how difficult it is to be a "decision-maker" or "politician". But this is a good place for adding the odd idea or two, it just needs one idea to maybe help somebody in trouble change what they're doing for the better. So, for my two cents I would like to add.
- Somehow, you (supplier) need to make customers depend on you whether you decide that is by price, quality of service/product, both or whatever.
- Find a way to give the customer more than they expect.
- Make it easy for the customer to buy from you. It sounds obvious but if you can get them to buy on a handshake rather than through long-legal contracts it generates trust. (I tell my customers they can cancel any time they like if they find I'm not performing for them, I've possibly had 6 do it in over 7 years).
- It starts with you. Look at yourself and your own philosophy, if the world is changing, you may need to change. One of my favourite business philosophers said, "work harder on yourself than you do on the job". Read the books, listen to the tapes, cd's etc. find out how others did it and copy them.
Look at your business model. Does it fit the changing envoronment:
- Look at your product/service can it be "bought" on lower scheduled regular payments. Example:- my customers pay me a low regular payment by standing order while some of my competitors charge larger one-off fees. Whilst I can't profess to know how my competitors are doing, I'm not losing any customers and have good steady regular cash-flow
- If you can't do that, possibly, Look at the "Gym" business model. They charge you a monthly fee but they get the lump sum from a loan company. Yes you have to pay interest but follow it through. Customer gets the goods/service they want > you stay in business > loan company gets their interest > Govt gets their taxes > spends on infrastructure > less unemplyment > the "money-wheel begins to turn again. No, it's not perfect but it's one solution for some.
- There's always the good old Barter System - Barter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia again, probably doesn't suit everyone but may suit a few. I'll fix your car if you fix my roof philosophy.
Most important thing to remember. This "so-called" recession will probably spawn more millionnaires than ever. Why? because they will look at it as an opportunity not as a problem.