When I was a kid and wanted to break up with a girl, my parents would NOT let me do that over the phone. If I was going to deliver bad news I had to muster the courage to do it face to face which I hated, but I get it now. Today, my kids and their friends ask each other out via Snapchat and break up the same way, no problem. I started to insist on a face to face like the olden days but was quickly rebuked; “that’s NOT HOW YOU DO IT TODAY DAD!!!!!!” Got it.
I bring this up because I have been hearing that bedding brands have been sending out bad news via snail mail. Raising prices, taking away co-op etc. You can’t do everything in person I realize because logistics make that tough, but how about a phone call? It stinks to have to be on a call or worse, in the room with someone as you give them bad news because nobody likes an ass chewing, but isn’t that also an opportunity to address the problem? If you were going to give your customer an increase of 5% in their co-op advertising fund, would you do that with a letter?
To my manufacturing friends out there, all I’m saying is that if you choose to take an “arms length” approach to your business, your retailers are going to do the same so get ready for that. How would you like to get an email with the subject line, “So Sorry” which goes on to say that you have been thrown off the floor?
