Perhaps the greatest contributor to the global economic crisis these days is consumer confidence. Though I am a lowly teacher-hobby farmer-writer (and not an economist), I believe this would be a safe assumption to make. The economic cycle flows something like this:
Stores that are full of goods are empty of customers. Said stores respond finally by laying off staff and cutting back hours. Next, they order less and less from their suppliers,so the supplier (aka wholesaler) then responds by not ordering from the manufacturer. The manufacturer (aka plant) starts laying off its workers, who then have no money to shop in the full stores—because they have empty wallets Well, they weren't shopping there much anyways, so now they shop less.
We don't have too many stores, people, or too many manufacturing plants; we have too few consumers. (Maurice: consumers means customers, buyers, and spenders.)
I have dealt with two of the reasons in this column before: One, the evil of abortion has wiped out millions of buyers (as well well as millions of workers); and two, the careless approach to immigration has channelled people into large cities, rather than spread them out evenly throughout the country. On that last point, it is like water: uncontrolled, it is a devastating flood; controlled, is is hydro-electric power.
There is a third possibility as to why there aren't enough shoppers, and that would be the employees themselves. Call it what you like: customer relations, personal service, or simply, staffing. And when I say staffing, I am thinking more of the quality of staffing, not the quantity.
Speaking personally, I am incredibly loyal to a store, restaurant, hotel, or whatever when I get great service. If I don't, I'll move on to where I'll get it. This is a very competitive market, so every store owner must be on his or her toes relative to customer relations.
On the other hand, if I walk into a store and feel for a moment that I am an intrusion, and not a money-generating, job-creating, goods-buying consumer, then I'm gone. Exit left, to the next clothing store. I'll buy my suspenders at some place that wants my money.
I may blame the employers for staff that is incompetent, lazy, and thick, but I won't. It's also easy to blame schools and parents equally for this woeful state we find our workers in, and I wouldn't be too far wrong. If I were a percentage man, I would suggest parents should get a chunk of the blame, schools get the rest, say, 60-40.
On the school front, in particular, be it high school or university, there is a sad myth out there that a piece of paper says you're qualified for a certain career. Graduation is a very misleading rite of passage. Unfortunately, that paper doesn't deal with manners, spirit, ethics, or morals. And as far as the home goes, one wonders where the old-fashioned approach to training and mentoring went.
So let me re-state the consumer problem: We've killed their potential (and globally, I have have no idea how many millions upon millions that would be), and we've stunted their productivity (by penning them in the larger centres). And now I suggest we've insulted their sense of purpose.
I have no idea how many employers I have talked to over the years who have made it clear that they would rather hire a new employee who has character; once hired, they would give them the skills to carry out the job. And when I speak of character, here is a sampling of said qualities: thoroughness, punctuality, diligence, teachableness, and initiative.
They don't teach that at high school or university. That starts in the homes. And as our homes are weakened through divorce, materialism, and undiscipline, so too will the economic machinations of our society be weakened.
Now if I can just find a nice clerk in a store that can help find those suspenders.
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