Don't take the easy way out!

There are many instances where people and business entities like to take the easy way out.

When the fuel prices were soaring higher and higher, many service companies, hawkers and business enterprises immediately adopted the easy way out by increasing the prices of the goods and services. The increases were borne by the end users or consumers. But, when the fuel prices were coming down, the prices stayed put. Sounds like an unfair trade and practice! Consumers are always at the losing end.

When the global economy is heading for a downturn, many companies begin to execute their retrenchment plan as the first option instead of leaving it as a last resort. Instead of looking into how to rationalise their business operations and cut cost by reducing the redundancies in administration and production processes, and making their business operations more efficient, the easy way out is to just retrench the staff. Perhaps, that was the intention harboured ages ago but there was no better excuse to give than the timely opportunity provided by the global economy downturn. With this trend in business practice, there is no need for employees to be loyal to their employers anymore, they just need to be responsible. Employee loyalty is only relevant when there is lifelong employment.

Many companies in the insurance and network marketing industry when they begin to see their profits declining, the first option and the easy way out is to cut the commissions of their representatives or agents because it is more difficult, involves more hassles and needs detailed clarifications with the policyholders or consumers if they were to increase the premium of the insurance plans or the price of the health products in these instances.

As these business enterprises always tend to adopt the easy way out, those at the losing end should always be on the look out for opportunities so that they can walk out of these companies or stay away from the products offered by these companies when the time is opportune or when there is an alternative. We must be always mindful to take care of ourselves because we cannot expect others to take care of us in the long run.

So, companies! Don't take the easy way out. Be more socially responsible or else you may one day find yourself out of business. This warning may sound remote, but it is not impossible for it to come true.

I like the two mirror questions that were aptly put forth by Mr Lim Swee Say, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office. He asked companies that are affected by the economic downturn, "Do you cut jobs to save costs, or do you cut costs to save jobs?" The former is the easy way out - RETRENCH THE EMPLOYEES, while the latter is the proper way out - REVIEW THE OPERATIONAL INEFFICIENCIES.