The recent increase of daily deal sites infiltrating the online consumer market combined with the success of warehouse-style stores like Wal-mart and Costco present a challenge for many local businesses. As both a small business owner and a consumer, I can appreciate both sides of the fence. The problem lies in the concept that the “lowest price is the law.” This is an infectious mentality that brings down the overall quality of life for consumers buying into the idea and thus, supporting its cyclical pattern, resulting in consequences. As larger companies push for lower prices from suppliers, the suppliers decrease the wage of employees, and slowly try to push out small business owners from being price competitive. These smaller companies are now forced to use daily deal websites to generate enough promotional exposure to interest customers. This, in turn, continues to cause more of the “lowest price is the law” mentality. In reality, this means customers will accept and continue to purchase low quality goods and services. Aren’t people frustrated and tired of adhering to a low-quality status quo? In business I have a few rules:
Don’t just accept, excel.
Be Humble.
Don’t be negative.
It took me a long time to get into these mentalities because as a consumer, I was presented with products and services that I did not even want for myself – so why would I go into the business of selling them? If you’re an honest person and desire to be your own boss, how can you be passionate about it if you don’t believe in it?
It has been a long dedicated road for all the hard working staff and people at Farm Boy. Now, they are celebrating 30 years since the first Farm Boy store opened in Cornwall as success is seen in the company’s prestigious reputation in Ottawa.
On June 13, the company opened their tenth store at 1495 Britannia Rd. As I walk the isles ensuring everything is perfect from an IT perspective, I can’t help but admire the attention to detail and quality that is given to each store by all employees there. Apples are stacked and neatly displayed in perfect rows, freshly prepared meals are delicately cooked and packaged beautifully and the store’s atmosphere is bright, friendly and welcoming. They recently hired Top Chef Josh Darche to oversee quality control and maintain the high standards we have come to expect from Farm Boy.
We should all take a note from Farm Boys success in the Capital region and commitment to quality. This is not a foreign-owned business that fights to bring the cheapest possible products to its customers. It is a purely Canadian and organically developed business. It all started with one man taking the initiative 30 years ago to offer higher quality food and a better shopping experience because that’s what we all want. Let’s not fight for the lowest price anymore, let’s fight for a better future for our children with high quality produce and nutritional food products we can feel proud to serve. I will always expect better out of myself in order to provide better for my loved ones and my customers. Shouldn’t we all want better?