Recalls suck! Period!!
I'm sorry, I let this build up in me for years, and I just have to get this out of my system. Ok, a company recalls a product, ok, that's fine, good thing to see a company take steps to rectify the problem.
But when I hear the SAME company repeatedly, that just gets under the skin a little. It's unsettling to hear, let alone be one of the thousands of consumers that had to find out the hard way that something was not right with a product they purchased. For example, Ford...ugh they boil my pot! Back in the day in college, some of the intro business classes and/or intro accounting course textbooks would have a "case study" or feature on cost-benefit analysis, and Ford would be a main example. The case study (i'll just give a short synopsis so I don't detract from the point) basically touched on the usefullness of cost-benefit analysis. So the study said that back in the day, when Ford had an issue with the old Mustangs' and Pintos' ('70s) gas tanks blowing up when impacted due to poor placement, etc, the study would conclude that it was more beneficial for Ford to pay settlements to the victims of these incidences, rather than spend the money to actually "fix" the problem.
One does not have to search hard to find that Ford has a serious history with recalls. Double boo! And the recent commercials, such as the one with their new SUV, the "Edge" being compared directly with a BMW....ha, I laughed. I thought it was one of the boldest commercials I've seen in recent time. Well, anyhow, with such a laundry list of recalls, I feel big companies, such as Ford, have lost a lot of integrity with what a worldwide brand ought to deliver.
So the latest wave of recalls include the very things we grew up with, and that we love to pass on to our children - toys! Lead in our toys....c'mon, lead is for pencils chump!!! Shoot, if they are finding this out in 2007, I wonder what the heck were in our toys the last 20+ years! While I do think it is notable that Mattel and Fisher-Price have been quick to act on the recall, it's just disconcerting how consumers' trust, like yours and mine, are undercut.
So here is how my feeble mind sums all this up: there's a bunch of people that make millions, and then there are millions that get 'bad' products. I feel this is a huge justice issue. If it's not the cars we drive or the toys we have, it's the spinach, chicken, beef, broccoli, prescription drugs, child car seats....the list can go on, and I think you know what I'm getting at. Where is the accountability? These companies will report profits to wall street so quickly, and I'm sure execs will make their $millions in bonuses and spend it before the first major report of a recall makes its wave across the media to alarm the very people that paid hard earned money for a 'good' product.
Of course an exec will get on the tube or internet to quickly address the concern and initiate action, but am I the only one that feels unsettled about the frequency of recalls? I think there are a lot of companies that need to refresh their integrity and clean up poor controls before they ask even one consumer to buy their product.
Ok, a critic might tell me, "oh c'mon Woo...it's just a little slap of the wrist mistake". Well shoot, one doesn't have to slap the wrist that many times before it starts to hurt.
It is natural economics that there will always be demand (and supply) in our economy. Then let me suggest that we demand greater accountability and controls at every level of product development because integrity and quality matter. Yes, yes, the most important people of the 'company' are the shareholders. But what good is it if you make your shareholders a good profit only to 'poison' them on the back end. And besides, for the average consumer, we purchase in large part on the premise of quality.
I think anyone who owns their own business will place a lot of pride on their product(s) and/or services. If we are able to value this so highly at the micro-level, why not at the macro-level? As I ponder about this more, I think of all the workers (at the non-exec levels) at these big companies who pour long hours, sweat and energy to do an honest job.
Recalls - oooh I get a sour taste in my mouth thinking about it, and it's not from bad grapes!
And what's up with the freaky Elmo (picture above)? I would recall that thing based on looks alone! Honestly, who is going to buy that toy?
But when I hear the SAME company repeatedly, that just gets under the skin a little. It's unsettling to hear, let alone be one of the thousands of consumers that had to find out the hard way that something was not right with a product they purchased. For example, Ford...ugh they boil my pot! Back in the day in college, some of the intro business classes and/or intro accounting course textbooks would have a "case study" or feature on cost-benefit analysis, and Ford would be a main example. The case study (i'll just give a short synopsis so I don't detract from the point) basically touched on the usefullness of cost-benefit analysis. So the study said that back in the day, when Ford had an issue with the old Mustangs' and Pintos' ('70s) gas tanks blowing up when impacted due to poor placement, etc, the study would conclude that it was more beneficial for Ford to pay settlements to the victims of these incidences, rather than spend the money to actually "fix" the problem.
One does not have to search hard to find that Ford has a serious history with recalls. Double boo! And the recent commercials, such as the one with their new SUV, the "Edge" being compared directly with a BMW....ha, I laughed. I thought it was one of the boldest commercials I've seen in recent time. Well, anyhow, with such a laundry list of recalls, I feel big companies, such as Ford, have lost a lot of integrity with what a worldwide brand ought to deliver.
So the latest wave of recalls include the very things we grew up with, and that we love to pass on to our children - toys! Lead in our toys....c'mon, lead is for pencils chump!!! Shoot, if they are finding this out in 2007, I wonder what the heck were in our toys the last 20+ years! While I do think it is notable that Mattel and Fisher-Price have been quick to act on the recall, it's just disconcerting how consumers' trust, like yours and mine, are undercut.
So here is how my feeble mind sums all this up: there's a bunch of people that make millions, and then there are millions that get 'bad' products. I feel this is a huge justice issue. If it's not the cars we drive or the toys we have, it's the spinach, chicken, beef, broccoli, prescription drugs, child car seats....the list can go on, and I think you know what I'm getting at. Where is the accountability? These companies will report profits to wall street so quickly, and I'm sure execs will make their $millions in bonuses and spend it before the first major report of a recall makes its wave across the media to alarm the very people that paid hard earned money for a 'good' product.
Of course an exec will get on the tube or internet to quickly address the concern and initiate action, but am I the only one that feels unsettled about the frequency of recalls? I think there are a lot of companies that need to refresh their integrity and clean up poor controls before they ask even one consumer to buy their product.
Ok, a critic might tell me, "oh c'mon Woo...it's just a little slap of the wrist mistake". Well shoot, one doesn't have to slap the wrist that many times before it starts to hurt.
It is natural economics that there will always be demand (and supply) in our economy. Then let me suggest that we demand greater accountability and controls at every level of product development because integrity and quality matter. Yes, yes, the most important people of the 'company' are the shareholders. But what good is it if you make your shareholders a good profit only to 'poison' them on the back end. And besides, for the average consumer, we purchase in large part on the premise of quality.
I think anyone who owns their own business will place a lot of pride on their product(s) and/or services. If we are able to value this so highly at the micro-level, why not at the macro-level? As I ponder about this more, I think of all the workers (at the non-exec levels) at these big companies who pour long hours, sweat and energy to do an honest job.
Recalls - oooh I get a sour taste in my mouth thinking about it, and it's not from bad grapes!
And what's up with the freaky Elmo (picture above)? I would recall that thing based on looks alone! Honestly, who is going to buy that toy?
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