Category: Opinion
Customers Still Deserve Your Respect
Times may have changed, but some things never do. The old adage that the customer is always right still stands. No matter how hard it is to accept, you have to live with that law if you want to stay in business. We all know that it is harder to respect the customer now than it has ever been. Customers […]
Three Easy And Inexpensive Ways To Market Your Company
Okay, I give up, you don’t have the funds to properly market your company. You don’t have the less than one percent of your revenue that it would take to get your name out there like it should be. Or maybe you don’t want to. Remember the motto of PCB shop owners, “when your sales are low fire your sales […]
The Best Way To Compete With The Chinese
Don’t. Just do what they can’t do instead. While talking to a friend of mine the other day our talk turned to how American Printed Circuit Board shops can compete against the Chinese and other Asian board fabricators. After an extended exchange he turned to me and said. “It’s very simple Dan, the best way to compete against them, is […]
Dare To Be BOLD!
Boldness is behavior born out of belief Groeschel When things get tough, the bold ones will always take action. They will forego the feelings of dread, the anxiety about what could go wrong if they took that action or any action for that matter. They will not be afraid of the possible dire consequences if they do something different from what […]
Tales From The PCB Crypt
Author’s note: I wrote this column last summer, but thought it was particularly fitting given my column on the DoD a couple of days ago.) The young sales person had been waiting patiently for the buyer to come out for almost an hour. He was a bit nervous and also excited because he was finally here. It had taken him […]
Finally, The DOD Gets It! But Is It Too Late?
Last week a friend of mine sent me this excerpt from the congregational record. Yes, That congregational record. If this doesn’t set your hair on fire then nothing will. Read on: “National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018”)…” 114/603 “Executive agent for printed circuit board technology The committee is aware of ongoing efforts through the Department of Defense Executive […]
Companies That Buy Cheap PCBs Get What They Deserve
This column is meant for those customers who need printed circuit boards but don’t want to communicate with the PCB shops directly. It’s meant for those customers who believe that a PCB is just a thin piece of green plastic that anyone can build. This is for those companies who feel that the board shops are just job shops and […]
To Charge The Most You Have To Be The Best
Being the best will get you the best prices. You have to be better than everyone else. You have to be better than everyone else to win the business; not only win it, but keep it. If you are good, very good, you can be good enough to get past the price issue. If your products and your services are […]
That Won’t Work Here (And Other Excuses)
I don’t know about you but this drives me absolutely nuts. You’re in a meeting, you come up with a good idea but before you finish getting your idea out there, this guy across from you. You know the one, he graduated from the Dilbert School of discouraging new ideas jumps in with that smart smirk on his face and […]
Yes, You Do Need Salespeople
Man, how many times I am going to have to say this? For those of you loyal readers who have been checking out this column for years I apologize in advance and won’t blame you if you want to sit this one out because you’ve read it all before right here and yes too many times. But I can’t help […]
