An observation of industry in America

[SLUGGO]

I think we follow too many "business models."

There are a few basic principles that will usually lead to success. (Based on absolutely no educational input, just my own observations.)

1. Build a superior product. (Offer a superior service)
2. Offer top-notch Customer Support with people helping people.
3. Create what your customers are telling you they need/want.

Taking these above three iconcepts...look at EBMM:

1. Obviously a superior product is being built.
2. EBMM'S Customer Service, this forum, the recent offering by BP to Tiff....
3. Dargies, Blue Dawn's, etc.

EBMM is not the only company successful in today's world obviously. But, from the outside at least, most other sucessful companies offer the above mentioned as well.

 

[Big Poppa]

Bartman
Absolutely correct the de-emphasis on science is really a big problem.. We aren't growing enough scientists.

 

[Bartmanpdx]

Bartman
Absolutely correct the de-emphasis on science is really a big problem.. We aren't growing enough scientists.

Thankfully, there are still some folks with some excellent ideas there in SLO.

Keep up the good work, BP. You guys win hands down when it comes to providing customers value on your basses. It's good to know that somebody out there still knows what they're doing. Far too many of your competitors have cut too many corners.

 

[Psycho Ward]

I don't know much about business, it would make my head hurt.

But I like you, your basses and your service, I'll always have a MusicMan... or twelve. I don't care about the wait time and I love this forum. Maybe its just pride in my nation but it makes me smile to know they're made here too. You're doing excellent work BP, I hope the future will be bright!

 

[bassmancb]

Quality not Quantity. I don't mind the wait myself for a great sounding Bass!!!

 

[b-unit]

I only have one EBMM (so far) and I waited 10 years to be able to afford it. But I have such a deep satisfaction for this bass and am not even remotely interested in any other brand for my next bass.

The quick responses to email questions, the high standard of class on this forum, and of course, the amazing quality of the products themselves, make EBMM a pretty unique animal in the music industry.

I think of my SR5 as a representitive of a truly first class company. I'm proud to play it!

 

[roburado]

The biggest challenge we face as a company is how to continue to retain and recruit employees that face a nearly catastrophic cost of living in SLO. These people make a sacrifice every day to live and work here. SLO is the third most expensive place in the United States when you compare median income to median housing costs.

BP, what is it about SLO, then, that keeps you there?

 

[roburado]

Bartman
Absolutely correct the de-emphasis on science is really a big problem.. We aren't growing enough scientists.

I don't think the problem is limited to science. I think we're not growing enough smart people, regardless of the field of expertise.

 

[oddjob]

I don't think the problem is limited to science. I think we're not growing enough smart people, regardless of the field of expertise.

Bingo - it is a product of the educational environment (I know that because I see it daily) and societial values. Being smart isn't as cool as being an NBA player (of which I have 50 kids who swear they're headed to the NBA or NFL) - and society's facianation of the quick easy fix has totally thrown things out of whack. Don't even get me started on work ethic and personal responsibility.

It isn't that kid's aren't smart they just don't have the drive to carry them forward into the tough fields we need (this is a generalization - but holds quite a bit of weight).

 

[PzoLover]

"It's All Good"

In my spare time these days, my focus is on playing music and not being dragged down by the social degradation, poverty and misery that's exploding all around me but conveniently hidden from official mainstream public view - "denial by distraction" is the "in-thing" with politicians and their media pals.

My dayjob is about merchandising, inventory management and customer service in the luxury / recreational segment of a transportation products industry.

My customers are from a wide range of ages, occupations and income categories. They spend record amounts of whatever money they can borrow or steal buying tons of stuff they don't need - it's "distraction therapy" for the pain of life.

Although fundamentally technical in nature, many of the modern products are engineered and marketed with "fashion" elements. The products are "faddy" and their life cycles are short. Price points are carefully targeted and retail margins are not too bad.

Sadly to me personally, actual, genuine quality is not a priority for most customers, no matter what they say; they will buy garbage as long as it's packaged fancy and looks good to them - manufacturers are well aware of this.

People like the "buzz" about buying lots of stuff for "smokin" prices and yapping about it with their "friends" by cellphone and mobile laptop while they're gridlocked in traffic jams.

People shop for lots of stuff - whatever has the most "glamour" and "excitement" sells fast. Most of the stuff is conceptualized in the USA and manufactured in China. Some factors in the USA and overseas are making megatons of money.

This is about the natural order of consumerism - a few billion people on this side of the planet are dying to buy something, and a few billion disposable units of cheap labour on the other side of the planet are dying to produce it.

Things are pretty much balanced overall - everybody is pretty much happy.

One of the more interesting books I've read lately is by Jane Jacobs - she's the author of "The Death And Life Of Great American Cities".

Good luck everybody !

/PL

 

[silverburst]

I don't think the problem is limited to science. I think we're not growing enough smart people, regardless of the field of expertise.

I would recommend Mike Judge's DVD "Idiocracy" to anyone who is reading this. It is a comedy, but it is scarily like where our society is going.

The college students that I interview for intern positions are getting dumber every year. The cannot write a complete sentence to save their lives (verbs seem to have gone by the wayside). Spell-check, grammar-check and Wikipedia are all very nice, but when these are the sole source of knowledge, we are screwed. These people cannot figure things out for themselves.

I will not go into the general sense of entitlement that seems to be growing as intelligence is shrinking...

 

[Big Poppa]

pzo It took me a few days to figure out what a sanatation engineer was... What the hell do you do in laymans terms? Cars? Boats?Ariplanes?

Greaqt perspective.

Silver I will get into entitlement. I THink the kids of today are getting a bum rap...it isnt an entitlement generation...it is an entitlement ERA. The seniors want thier meds and walkers free and the kids want their music for free. THe magic art of future business is to make everything appear to be free.

 

[Jim_F]

What are our chances of free Musicman basses BP?

 

[Bassplyr]

pzo, enjoyed reading your take on it. Thanks.

 

[PzoLover]

Wheels of Commerce

pzo ... What the hell do you do in laymans terms? Cars? Boats?Airplanes? ...