Locals Discounts Available on Free Business Advertising - FREE! Business on the Sunshine Coast needs a bit of help at the moment, we have come up with a WIN WIN situation... Learn more...
Online Advertising Special Promotion We have proof that continued adverting works, especially when times are tough .... as a testiment to our continued high ranking in search engines... Learn more...
In the Twilight Zone on the Sunshine Coast
To be perfectly honest, I don't care about the Treasurer's trade mission to Columbia, I don't care about Carl Williams getting topped, I don't give a rats about Can Do's super expensive tunnel, I don't care about the little pipsqueak Justin Bieber (whoever the hell he is), I don't care about how the ANZ Bank Chief is warning us that Europe's mess could infect us all. Actually that last one is a lie come to think of it, I do care, you can guarantee if Europes' hassles affect us, it won't be the likes of the banks that will hurt, those b*st*rds always come out on top UGH! I DO CARE about hospital staff not being paid (I so hope that dodgy pay software was not ultimately done off-shore?), I DO CARE about a lot of other important things as well that affect us (though some may not think the Storm drama should be in that list LOL), Most importantly I DO CARE care about my own backyard, and the problems we are having that no-one seems to have noticed to care about!
I don't normally talk about 'business stuff' in this editorial, but, this issue I really feel the need to raise some concerns. About this time last year, all we saw and heard about was the 'Global Financial Crisis', the frenzy was amazing, the Government decided to give incentives to help stimulate the economy, the hype had everyone terrified. The fact was, apart from some people being affected by falling share prices, well, the world really didn't end. We see share prices on the news every night, Sunrise goes on about Superannuation and how housing prices are great etc. and we are all told we are supposed to care about all that, BUT none of that really affects us in small business, which is what the majority of the Sunshine Coast is.
I don't know about the rest of the country, but recent months here on the Sunshine Coast have been pretty awful for local small business. I seriously think I must be in the Twilight Zone, I get news about how wonderful the recent holidays were for the Tourist Industry, Really?? Anyone else see all the 'VACANCY' signs where you don't normally at Easter this year? A bowls club is holding their last raffles this month as they can't get enough businesses to donate to them, due to struggling in business at the moment. The Garden Shop that has been around forever closing its doors because it can't sell. The amount of empty shops in some of our major shopping precincts and the stories on why some have closed are heart-wrenching. Call me naive, but this all adds up to a pretty worrying business situation here on the Coast. Big business can normally handle a 6 month downturn, Small Business normally can't!
I am not a 'gloom & doom' sort of person. I tend to think if a situation is going down the pooper you don't sink into depression, you fight it! You look at what is happening and why? You come up with ways to both improve your situation and get through the bad time, even if it means thinking outside the box. This situation at the moment has me feeling like banging my head against the wall in frustration. All 3 levels of Government keep telling me how good life is at the moment. Export is going great guns! Share prices are up! We have all this money to spend on Green Innitiatives... Well, who cares! Small business cares about someone walking in their door, purchasing their goods or services, paying their staff & rent, and most likely making sure they can pay for their kids school camp! Too many months of not being able to do this hurts!
If Governments won't notice our plight, then I think we all need to look after each other. I am not anti-big business, though, multinationals are probably doing ok as they have other streams of revenue, but little blokes aren't! I urge you, please, try to support your local suppliers. Have a bit of a think, if you have a small business and sit at home in the arvo whinging about a lack of business, well probably your neighbour is too, so make sure that you buy your goods from a local shop, go to local restaurants, support your local butcher, if you do have some spare cash, try to spend it in your own backyard, if we all seriously think local, we will be able to get past this hard period that most are experiencing at the moment.
The word 'local' gets bandied around a lot, how some national companies can advertise on TV that buying their advertising is supporting 'local' I have no idea, so when I say local, I mean local, the bloke down the road at the fruit & Veg shop, the beauty salon on the corner, fish & chip shop, you name it, you are going to spend that money, if you have it, just take a moment to ensure that you help a lot more businesses survive by spending it with them. You never know, your patronage combined with a few others, may be the difference between those shop doors being open next week or not :(
Chin Up & let us know how your Business is going, just use the ''comments'' below :)
Cheers,
Noely
The MSC Editors Desk
30 April 2010
Permanent Link: In the Twilight Zone on the Sunshine Coast
Publish Date: 30 Apr 10
PO Box 38, Cotton Tree Qld 4558, Sunshine Coast Wide
Phone: 07 5455 4832
Fax: 07 5455 4831
Email: Email this business
Website: www.mysunshinecoast.com.au
Comments / Have your say
Would be great to help tide over the regional areas if infrastructure spending could start here and now.
Hospital would be nice, sporting stadium, Qantas forced to fly here again with a business class option, some new roads, new/amended school buildings just for starters....
Alot of tradies we know have had to head inland.
We are a small business and try to be really competitive with our prices and if our prices are higher than the Joyce Maynes of the world, we always ensure the service is better and provide value add where we can. It is always disheartening to have people come in, ask for quotes and then they run off to a chain store and make their purchase - they may well have saved only $20.
Only to see them again a few weeks later because the product they were sold doesn't do the job properly. The small businesses of the world generally try harder, have better service and can often save you money in the long run.
The other thing we see constantly is other businesses coming in asking for donations for raffles etc. and they claim to support local businesses - but then they too go to the bigger chain stores for their purchases.
So stop all the airy fairy talk of supporting local and actually make the effort !!!
With all the money we have to give to the government and all the bills on top of that it makes you wonder why anyone would EVER buy or start a small business. So much hard work, blood, sweat and tears for what? Yes we give a few people work and keep food on our table and a roof over our heads but the stress of providing, not just for ourselves but for our employees is dreadful! I am afraid and I dont want to be. Have to keep positive, Have to make it work. I always try to shop with the little guy and now it is so much more important than ever!!
In these times we cant rely on any Government person to help us therefore innovation, customer service and talking to each other is our best solution
keep up the good work
Regards
Kerry
If you dropped the price too much does that mean that the cleaners servicing these accommodation houses also have to take a pay cut ? That doesn't help those locals at all.
The Coast needs tourists that will spend money doing activities (tourist and leisure), going out to dinner 3-4 nights out of 5, cruising shopping districts and the like. In this way the flow on effect of the $ spent will assist many locals. Tourists that spend money are staying at locations they want, independent of price (backpackers often spend as much as 5 star hotel guests, just not on the same services).
I am a great supporter of using local business and I do mean 'local'.
Personally (based on past statistics) I am of the opinion that the Coast will see improvement and movement July - September. The Sydney market started moving in Oct/Nov and we generally see follow up some 6 to 9 months later.
So lets hope those statistics work for us this time. For me, it has already started as I have had more activity this past 3 weeks then in the past 18 months. (I am in the Real Estate Industry)
Please Hang in There !!!
This is very prevalent here in Chancellor when you people coming out of Woolies with all their meat, bread and veges when at the IGA shops we have small businesses with great products that are well priced.
As well know, as soon as the big stores squeeze out the small businesses, up go the prices.
We like millions of other samll business operators agree totally with your sediments written above. We own and or manage 3 different holiday/permanent rental properties here in Hervey Bay and we along with ALL the other managers are finding life tough, but are very proactive in moving on and doing things that are making life better for all. Most of us are 10% down or worst than Easter last year which was also down and can only hope that we are now near the bottom now.(assuming there is a bottom) We are all looking forward to the Whale Season starting in July...because even if the people don't come the Whales will be here.....Robin Dick, Manager.
Yes, we are feeling the pinch. Personally we have now given up smoking, cut down drinking, don't buy any take away food and for entertainment we go to the beach. (So some good does come out of a bad situation.) There is always someone in a worse situation. Keep smiling its free! :)
Keep the flag flying but not at half mast for local business.
Don't be too quick to discount either, value add is the better way. Discounting just encourages more discounting. A fair price for a fair product, I say!!
Any comments are submitted for possible publication on the condition that they may be edited or refused. Include your name (or alias for those who wish to be anonymous), and email address (only used for verification), your location is optional. ( Publication guidelines / disclaimer for article and comment content ). Any comment that is; is offensive, includes profanity, only a personal attack, is illegal, meaningless (spam), or contains obvious factual errors, will not be posted, at the sole discretion of our staff.