Dear Every Single Business Owner That Is and Ever Will Be,
As a potential customer of your business I want you to know something important: I will still buy your products if you need to increase the pricing in order to ensure worker safety and dignity.
Too many times I have heard captains of industry explain away horrific worker conditions and literally criminal behavior all in the name of keeping prices down.
You may think that as a consumer I am motivated solely by price, but that is incorrect. If I hear a company treats their workers well, I am more likely to purchase their product over a cheaper-priced item from a competitor. The reverse is also true. If I hear a company treats their employees poorly, then I am more likely to buy a more expensive product from a competitor.
Bottom line: when deciding what products to purchase, how your workers are treated factors strongly into my decision, along with price. In a competitive marketplace you can use this edge to your advantage. Treat your workers better than your competitors and you'll gain my business.
I would be glad to pay more for your products if that means that your employees have time off to relax and to earn a living wage. Regarding your shipping methods, I would rather whatever items I order for delivery arrive late than your couriers risk injury travelling at unsafe speeds and through hazardous weather conditions.
As a consumer, worker safety and dignity is extremely important to me, far more important than the arrival of some object at my doorstep.
Now I don't know you, but perhaps you are unwilling to sacrifice some of your (likely exorbitant) pay in order to improve worker conditions. Whether this is the case or not, I am writing to let you know that you should not put the blame for abysmal conditions on me, the consumer. I am declaring here, openly and publicly, that I am willing to pay more and wait longer, if it means a world where people can work and live with dignity and in safety. The excuse for treating workers poorly because you may lose customers is now finished.
I prefer businesses that treat their employees well and I will patronize them over ones that don't. Thank you for listening.
Signed,
Larry Nocella, BCP
www.LarryNocella.com
United States of America
May 1, 2014
