Part 3 - Drug Dealers - A model of entreprenurial excellence?

Loyalty to the dealer?
This unwavering loyalty tends to be based upon a mix of basic insecurities such as the inane inability to exercise self-control, let’s admit that at least once, we go to just get this one thing – honest! That one thing turns in to an almighty shopping binge that seemed to control us – we lost control. Another part of that loyalty DNA seems to be wrapped up in any event that can trigger a sense of ‘not being listened to, being ignored, alone, constrained – It must be hugely difficult to be creatively dispossessed, written off, misunderstood and future-less. These are typical of the emotions that left unchecked will challenge and create fear for their well being, security, change, the future or the unknown. Each supplier creatively tailors a loyalty reward scheme by analysing the customer demographics, holidays or reasons to increase footfall.
Cont...

The reality is that somewhere deep within our psyche we know that a reward is never free. There has to be a payoff, a penalty, a con – nothing is free, what’s the hidden cost of loyalty?

The supplier has a simple two fold message to spread. The subliminal voice is a constant noise that tries to convince us that the pleasure is all ours. Most importantly we should note that we have a responsibility towards our supplier.

The supplier generates an offer so good that its attention grabbing headlines offer an extravaganza of giveaways not to be missed... As we are drawn in to an almost familiarity, a nice fuzzy feeling comes over as we begin to feel valued. The promise of a happier life and fulfilled existence is soon destroyed when we are hit with the silent booby trap, a loss-leading offer that increases the amount of consumers, the potential to offer a pre-arranged super-sparkly trinket that looks, smells even better than the reason we came out in the first place.

The reality! That trinket was made with a cheaper substitute, all that sparkles isn’t better, It is all part of the plan – offset the earlier losses with the greater profit margin by attracting a mass audience – remember this... All the time you are remaining loyal to a state of sleepiness, we are quantified and calculated on the annual spend, quantity of purchases, frequency of our visit and the risk potential needs to be factored by studying any anomalies such as outstanding monies requiring settlement.

As with virtually all supplier/ consumer relationships that are manufactured over time, the contract is generated by the supplier, signed by the consumer who believes that loyalty is reciprocal and as a consequence the consumer believes that there is a mutual agreement between both parties – from the suppliers perspective ... It’s all part of the training! Ta – dah!

What about us? The innocent victim! We just want to be happy and content, not prayed upon by a hoard of profit-led, mongers of sparkly trinkets that rust and lose their shine.

The consumer is a willing and complicit pseudo-victim that agrees to be suckered into an alternative reality with a perceived understanding, a fantasy contract, a non-verbal, un-acknowledged, yet inexplicably, supernaturally delivered and mutually agreed promise that nobody will tamper with your purchase beforehand. It would be tantamount to, let’s say, hypothetically, Coca-Cola substituting the more expensive ingredients within its beverages with an equal amount of similarly tasting, inexpensive and harmful additives, imagine the uproar if they did this, conveniently forgot to tell anybody and continued to charge the same price as before– It’s wrong!

Now they are highly trained leaders that understand the business, dictate the rules and develop new markets although there is always room for negotiation, their import and distribution practices also require a deep knowledge of the complexities and legalities underpinning the import/export aspect of their business. They are very aufait with the local competition and generally have ways and means of consolidating the market.

This attention to detail results in a host of very successful start-up businesses and self employed consultants, it’s a shame that they specialise in drug and protection rackets that tend to destroy communities rather than regenerate them.

Although this is said with tongue firmly in cheek and designed to be provocative, there is an undeniable creativity, merged with business activity which at source makes it a creative industry – doesn’t it?

Can you imagine the potential for economic growth if we could harness that creative energy? What about the benefit to local communities? A far bigger question begs an answer... What about the un/intentional damage done within our communities?

Many would say that these opportunities are predetermined, limited and that any creative aptitude will be channelled down a path that ends with at least an issue around dependence? Maybe the newly released 2010 Drug strategy by the UK Government will help?... However, a big society that has not factored a strategic plan for business regeneration leaves me confused... !

Sadly, many good professional agency's, social networks, community forums and well intentioned religious groups contain people with a genuine desire to do-good. They tend to parachute in to these communities for limited periods of time, promise hope, start really well but can't follow through. They finally return to suburbia feeling deflated.

Should this type of revolution be led by those who know how to set up business? A truly Social... Enterprise....? Whats the incentive, other than doing good?  Those who know how to develop and mentor? Should it be business led? Profitable? And Sustainable? Should it have capitalist tendencies? If not - Who?

Let me be absolutely clear - this is not about the legalisation of drugs, of which I am totally against! Its about the juxtaposition between skills, structures and motivation. The alternative - Stay in the poverty trap!


The Finale... Part 4 - Coming VERY Soon