Over the past year, BC Hydro has frequently been in the news, and we’ve all heard about the contentious issue of smart meters and the numerous concerns raised by consumers. This heated debate has gone on for over a year now, however with the meters finally being installed, consumers seem to have accepted the new smart meter program. With the wide range and severity of the concerns, it almost seems wrong that BC Hydro would force the meters into consumer’s homes with such lack of explanation and communication. The company, being a monopoly, has high supplier power and in a sense they are able to do whatever they like as a company. But is it right for a company to take advantage of their monopolistic situation and carry out any program that benefits them no matter how dangerous the product could be? This program was bound to be implemented no matter how much customer resistance it faced, however, the company could have dealt with the concerns more professionally and realized the importance of customer satisfaction even it a situation where they own such a chunk of the market share. If BC Hydro had executed a more consumer friendly marketing strategy and openly addressed all smart meter concerns from the beginning, they would have gained the trust and satisfaction of consumers, rather than being stuck with unhappy customers who are forced to use the company’s product. 

Hurricane Sandy, who has recently hit the east coast, is leaving a great deal of destruction in her wake, leading to many problems in the area. But what does this mean for businesses? How does Sandy affect them and what sectors of business are affected? The answer to this is supply chain management, and the personnel in charge of organizing what is transported where and when it is done. When a natural disaster or any other complications arise in this process, there must be strategies in place and measures to be taken in order to reduce detriment to the company. Hurricane seasons and weather conditions must be kept in mind and shipping may have to be scheduled around natural disasters or even planned around seasons in which extreme weather conditions may affect the transport of materials. Insurance of goods can also be in place so that there is little impact on the company. Back up plans such as an alternative supplier can also be helpful in reducing risk of a natural disaster’s effects on the supply chain. With a major hurricane sweeping the east coast, supply chain management of companies worldwide are forced into overdrive, problem solving and assessing the damage to their given companies.

As a young person who is new to the world of customer service and the many service-based companies, I value quality customer service more and more. Lately poor quality customer service has been called to my attention through personal experiences with store clerks and telephone service calls.This poor service led me to think about the impact this low quality has upon me and how it affects my likeliness to return to the store or continue the service. I found that in my own experience, a lack of good customer service causes me to negatively view the company and avoid returning to the company as a consumer. High quality customer service on the other hand, creates a positive perspective of the company, leads me to recommend the company and I return to using the service whenever possible. As consumers and even as humans in general, we like to be treated well and feel important; when you are spoken to positively and your issues are resolved efficiently, you feel good and therefore have had a positive experience with that company. One company I have found to have excellent customer service is Clearly Contacts, they pride themselves in their service quality, and for good reason, as they are one of the best I have encountered. All in all, customer service cannot be overlooked when considering your company’s strategy, as high quality can lead to important benefits to the company and can even go so far as to function as marketing and reputation building for the company.

Despite the recent negative reviews Facebook has received, the company has been doing well in the eyes of consumers and coming up with innovative ideas which are setting them father and farther apart from the competition. The company has come up with a variety of new applications to their social media site and are catering to the needs of consumers by making it easier to connect with their Facebook friends. Mergers with other social media companies in the recent months have boosted Facebook’s popularity and added to the long list of points of difference which sets them apart from anyone else in the industry. Facebook has joined forces with Instagram, an application which allows networkers to share edited photos on social media sites for other users to see. The company has also joined with Skype, a video chat networking company which allows users to connect and chat face to face for no charge. These advancements to Facebook’s social networking site are a step in the right direction and part of a strong and smart marketing strategy.

In a recent class on sustainability, a local company called “Cars 2 Go” was brought up. I had seen the company’s cars both around campus and downtown and was always interested in the company as it embraces an interesting and convenient concept. Later that day I went home and researched the company to learn a bit about what they stand for and how their co-op program works. The company realized the need for convenient and affordable transportation in Vancouver for those who cannot rely on busses or don’t have their own vehicles. They then implemented a

car rental co-op program in which customers are free to pick up and drop off the car anywhere within the “home area” with free parking in most areas and no worry of refueling the vehicle prior to its return. The program addresses everything customers look for in order to provide the quickest, easiest and simplest rental system currently operating in the Vancouver area. This company is also very concerned about the environment and focuses on sustainability as one of their core company values. The issue with sustainability is commonly that the alternatives to harmful every day activities are available but not convenient enough for the consumer. Car 2 go has realized this issue and come up with a program that is convenient and being used often by Vancouver residents as a substitute to other methods of transit which are harmful for the environment. Car 2 Go is a sustainable company looking to reduce Vancouver’s carbon footprint one rental at a time.

Quite a few of our recent classes have focused on social enterprises and the benefit of social good to society. One company has stood out above the rest in my eyes however, and that is the local business, Save-On-Meats. Save-On-Meats has taken social entrepreneurship to a whole new level and is currently helping to clean up Vancouver’s downtown east side one step at a time. Another social enterprise discussed in class was TOM’S shoes company which donates one pair of shoes to people in third world countries with every pair of shoes they sell. These two clashed in my mind and I started to think about what sets the two enterprises apart. While save-on-meats is providing jobs, cheap local food and helping other local business get on their feet, leading to an immense net social benefit to society, TOM’S is merely donating shoes to those in need. While this is also beneficial to society, there is no progress created and the company, in my opinion, is more like a charity, as they are giving hand-outs to those in need. Save-on-meats encourages progress and development in the lives of local citizens and gives them a chance at a new job and ultimately a new life. In my eyes, Save-On-Meats is a great example of a social enterprise however, I don’t think TOM’S embraces the same level of social entrepreneurship.