Why Is Your Business Failing?

The imperfect Christian got to report for WYNK iWitness News Live from the International Christian Retail Show (ICRS) which was hosted in Atlanta, GA this year. There were international guest from as far away as Brasil and as close by as the Caribbean. The guest from the US touched most every continental state. The booth that the imperfect Christian was blessed to take part in was a booth set up by the company that does distribution for his company and hosted five others as well. It was a great show, however, it had its moments. With the polite, you will also find the impolite. Then Christian people wonder why non-believers hate us so. Christians also wonder why so many Christian retailers have to close their doors.

News Flash... rude is not tough, it's foolish. If you are a small retailer with limited supply, and limited service, then you doom yourself. The "Microwave Society" is no longer such. It has morphed from the, let me have a quick fix Microwave Society, into the if you haven't delivered it to me already then you are too late iGeneration!

Prime examples:
If someone walks into your store and literally has to beg you for service, you are doomed. On top of that if you don't have what they want, then you have just shoveled out your businesses grave one customer at a time. If you are really bad then you will not offer to stock the customers needed product in the immediate future, and will more than likely neglect to offer your services to ship it to them as well. Welcome to the funeral of your Christian retail business, and the birth of another online consumer.

As a buyer you also kill your chances at gaining favors for your store when you are rude? One less customer means you are now lessening your clientele, which in turn means you are lessening your commerce.

Top Five Rude Stories from ICRS (THE International Christian Retail Show).

5) The Waver
Massimo walks the floor of the Georgia World Congress Center looking for the deals of the year. His feet are tired from walking the thinly carpeted concrete floors, and he only has timet to speak to whom he wishes to speak to. There is not time to waste on being a polite Christian. He passes by an Exhibitor (a very sweet lady) offering to let him know that there is an artist signing at her booth. So what's Massimo do? He walks by waving his hand at her like that's the only limb he has, and it just happens to be on fire. This waving hand is trying to signal to her a rude phrase that was popular during his childhood, "Go away kid you bother me!" Lord just once may the imperfect Christian kick him in the shins for her? Please!? The imperfect one is hearing You Lord. Yes Sir, the imperfect Christian knows that Saint Pete cut off the soldiers ear that attempted to apprehend Christ, and he knows that kicking this man in the shin falls along the same line, but it would be so nice to see an instantaneous lesson taught here. You could let that sweet woman at the Exhibitors booth lay hands on him like You did with the soldier, and heal his bleeding shins. The imperfect Christian just asks that You allow him to shine his imperfect dress shoes on that chumps shins first... paaaahlease. Just once? OK Lord I apologize, and I am grateful that You truly know the human side of things.

4) The Humbler
Mary Jane swings by the booth to get some product. Her beady eyes fixed on her prize, she makes her move, and drats! She's greeted with a huge smile and a, "How are you ma'am?" She's reluctant to speak, and tries to ignore him completely without saying a word, which drives that rep to tell her that only stores can receive his products. When he does so, she finally speaks and explains that her friend is at the show, just not with her, and she has a store. The rep replies, "Great have your friend come see me for a demo, I pray that you enjoy the rest of the show ma'am."

3) The Humbler Part 2
Fella walks by the booth says he loves your music but can't take any into his store. It just doesn't do well for him. Hmmm so why is it that he comes back each day for additional copies? Isn't that like stealing and lying all in the same breath? Can you say shelf stocker? So why not ask him why he came back for more of what he couldn't sell. That's not rude, right? His answer, "Oh I thought these were different CD's." The exhibitors reply, "No sir, same product as yesterday, and it's the same product that will be featured all week, thank you for coming by (each day for product you love, but can't remember it from the day before!) it is a blessing to have a brother in Christ appreciate our work."

2) The Walker
The Exhibitor smiles to greet another (read this next portion with HEAVY sarcasm) pleasant Christian. "Good morning ma'am/sir." No reply. Are they really listening, or just pretending not to? Try this next time. "Ma'am/Sir you dropped your credit card." When they break their neck to look back for that card, say in your best Joel Osteen voice, "God bless you!" Don't forget to smile as they stomp away.

And last but not least... numero uno!

The Okie Doke (aka You got me!)
A woman stops by the booth and asks pointing at the exhibitors CD's, "Are these free?" Exhibitor answers, "To retail buyers yes ma'am. Plus you can sign up to win a Wii, or earn one by meeting the criteria of the distributing company that is hosting the exhibitors booth." She is not a buyer, but she wants that CD! The exhibitor offers her information about each company in a packet. She refuses saying she doesn't have room in her luggage for the folder. He counters with offering her a CD catalog with his business card. She counters with saying that she doesn't have need of the CD catalog, so he offers the business card only. She comes back with the most ignorant excuse of the day! "I don't want to inconvenience you by taking a card, I know they costs money." The look on her face was priceless when the exhibitor fired back with a compassionate reply of, "Yes ma'am they do cost money, they are also small enough to slip inside a CD case so no extra room is necessary in order to pack them. They also cost less than what it costs to manufacture the CD (that you are willing to take), and it would ride along nicely with the CD. As a market minister it would not be an inconvenience but a blessing if you would take the card, so if nothing else you can pray for the company and its rep. We believe in business, but being about the Fathers' business comes first with me." She grabbed the CD and bolted. The look on her face was priceless. I didn't want to be rude, but give her the truth in love, no matter how much it hurt.

Well dear friends, the imperfect Christian will deliver the good news in the CBA show in the next imperfect blog. Until then... peace from the Peach State, blessings, and joy!

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ICRS St. Louis 2010

Bright Southern sky, hot and sticky already at 8am, I set sail in the Emerald Hornet, (the Green Olds) and head out to the airport with my girls. We are at the half way point, 30 minutes into the trip, and my missus gets her coupon bin out, and goes to work. She has turned into a coupon clipping, money saving machine! She finds great sales every week. The beauty in this is that at often times, she will find a great set of steaks, tender, and just right, and then gives me credit for grilling them up nice. What a gal!!! This morning she grabbed her list, and had her window down slightly, and swoosh! Her list was vacuumed out of her hand, straight out of the window! The look on her face, was one of a woman that had just lost a winning lottery ticket for a couple of thousands of dollars! It was priceless. I was praying hard that she was not going to ask me to turn back, and go after it. She looked back with a smile on her face and said, it’s on the antenna! Thank God for the decision to take the older car, with an exterior antenna. It wrapped around the antenna, and I was able to pull over so she could retrieve it.

Well we got to the airport, and baby girl wanted to lug in my suitcase. It’s as tall as she is, and was probably almost as heavy, and with the exception of the steps, she made it all the way. She was cheerful to help daddy with his luggage, but a little saddened at his leaving. Well the eyes welled up on daddy first, and mama took baby girl out to the car after daddy had a chance to kiss her whole face. I cried at the check in area, just before going into the gate, but was able to refrain long enough so my little one, and wife could not see me. Mission accomplished, I am getting worse with each departure, however! They just don't get any easier I said to the family from our local town. We consoled one another, as we cried, and said our good-byes.

On to the gates! I was greeted by a not so hostile airport security agent, that instructed me place my items on the belt, and told me that my laptop didn't need to be turned on, and the phone was good in the bin beside it. The gentleman on the other side of the gate was not as friendly, and asked me to go back through the gate until my bags had cleared. I hustled to the gate where my plane was docking.

I surveyed the lot of potential passengers, and started to pray, and sort through the good and the bad. I prayed that I would not be stuck next to a rude snobbish person, or someone just not easy to sit next to on a flight. Seasoned fliers know where I am coming from. You don't want the kid that can't be pleased, or the snoring old dude with no teeth, or the Howard Hughes that can't sit far enough away from you in his seat, of the overly friendly, that can't get close enough and uses you as a pillow! Did I miss any? Well as I sat waiting I noticed a few "can do" people, and a few "Lord please no," people. The lady across from me talked on the phone quite a bit, but had a friendly smile. OK she seems friendly enough, yeah she qualifies, as a good flight neighbor. Wait though, what if I get stuck next to the man and his son over there? He’s talking about shooting pigs, and gun models with an 11 or 12 year old. He smiles and seems friendly enough, but perhaps too friendly, and he’s a gun fanatic, and talking openly about it at the airport, please Lord, let me sit far from them. Not every gun owner is a terrorist, but not every terrorist comes in brown, or wears a diaper on his head either, as some would stereotypically think either. Speaking of stereotypes, here comes a lady with money written all over her, and she doesn’t look a bit friendly at all!!! There’s the old guy who snores through the whole flight, nope! A young woman that’s shy, and looks uneasy, not her either, please… Well they have called my zone, and it’s time to board. The ticket agent (collector/whatever they're called) took my ticket, and she was very nice, very professional. Thank you Ms. Ticket Getter.

Now to find my seat... OK I have seat 2F, and there are only 4 seats ranging from A-D… I am supposed to have a window seat, oh joy, the hateful lady is in my seat! She had 2 E. She said I have E, but I may be in the wrong seat, but it doesn’t matter to me… How could I ask her to move? I couldn’t! Wow what a soft putz! She didn't say much, and it was only a 25 minute commuter flight, so what's the big deal right? She read a magazine for most of the flight, and turned out to be pretty cool. She yawned and I said, “It’s too early for that,” and she said, “I know right?!” She has to be a young 50, and used the term “I know right.” I guess a fella of apparent African and Latin descendants having a Southern drawl was not the norm for her either, but nonetheless a good flight. God blesses me with humor to get me through the homesickness. Look out CLT here we come...