Businesses are Fragile

By John Malmo

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkno/local-wkno-935554.mp3

Businesses are Fragile, by John Malmo

Memphis, TN – I always feel sad when I see empty office buildings and factories. Stores and restaurants that didn't make it. In nine out of ten retail and restaurant cases, they just couldn't draw or sustain enough traffic. Bad concept. Bad location. Bad product. Bad service. Bad operations. Some thing or things just didn't work.

Most puzzling, though, is the restaurant that's popular for many years with lots of customers, then goes into decline. And one day it's out of business.

There used to be a very good restaurant only ten minutes away from my home. We and friends ate there several times each year. Would have gone more often, but they wouldn't take a reservation for a party of fewer than six people.

"Why," we asked.

"We get a credit card number, in advance, for a party of six," they said.

"We'll give you a credit card number."

"Sorry," they said.

We can go anywhere in the world and get a reservation for four, even two, except at that restaurant. So we quit going. I never gave it another thought, until recently, I heard someone bring up the name of Jarrett's. They said they'd quit going because the restaurant wouldn't take a reservation for fewer than six.

Business is ever-so-fragile. You never know what can hurt you.

John Malmo is a marketing consultant who concentrates on helping business owners grow their businesses with effective marketing. To reach Mr. Malmo, hear and read more of his commentaries, or ask him a direct question, go to askmalmo.com.