Has our Democratic Society begun to fail?

Or has it already failed? Too many people have suffered from this 2011 economic downfall. Hunger, cold, and illness are just the tip of the iceberg that goes far deeper than we can see. Good workers, workers with skills, training, and the desire to do a good job are being dumped by the way-side to make room for less skilled workers because they work cheaper! Full time jobs are being replaced with part timers who have no idea what they are doing and aren’t at work long enough to do all the things that need to be done. Why? Because they aren’t eligible for medical benefits and they don’t have the experience or skills to warrant a large salary!

Our society has come full circle and is once more a society that treasures money over all else. That means that companies who prided themselves on great service are now toting their prices as their number one benefit and service is virtually non-existent. And the companies that had mediocre service now have none at all and their employees are rude, mean, and lazy. Executives of these big companies see their payroll costs lowered and they see their profits continue to rise and they are happy. But what happens when that lack of service and that lack of knowledge pushes the paying customers out to seek a better way? What will their profits look like then?

People need to have certain things like food, shelter, and clothing. But the human race is a resourceful species. They will ‘make do’ with what they have until they can find a better solution. That means that they might go into these stores with non-existent service and non-caring employees because they need what is being sold; but as soon as another option opens itself up, they will give that a try and if the service and atmosphere is better, where to you think they will go? Where would you go?

Sadly, the poor suffer the most during these times. They don't have much of anything necessary for life and they have little or no means to get it. Some will get the part time jobs being offered at reduced salaries, but most will maintain their values and will be passed by.

But as bad as it seems when the times cause more human suffering, they also seem to bring out the best in the worst people. People begin to see the suffering and they offer help. People who were at the top of their heap so to speak, are now lower down on the societal ladder and they can actually see those below them. They begin to feel their loss and realize that those below them must be suffering even more. Does everyone being affected by economic losses feel that way? Hardly; but it does tend to increase the numbers of caring people. And even a small number of caring people can make a big difference. And maybe, just maybe, that difference will carry into the future when times get better.

Companies, organizations, and service-based groups need to take a good hard look at their personnel and their strategies. Better employees may be more expensive in the short run, but they are a better investment in the long run. They will keep the customers coming back even if the product is not peak. They will ‘sell’ the company or service just by being themselves. They will keep the company going and the profits coming in for a longer period of time. Profits may be a bit less, but they will be steady and always growing; doesn’t that make for a more stable company and better overall profits?

The sad part is that the good employees would have sold the good products just as easily but the companies with the good products are only looking at how to cut their bottom line and so they don’t see the full picture. Now you have a society that prides itself on money; companies with good products losing their customers; and companies with poor and semi-poor goods raking in all the dough because of their employees who couldn’t get hired anywhere else because they were ‘too good’ or ‘too educated’.

The only bright side to this trend is that now may be a good time for the ‘little guy or gal’ to get out there and begin their own business. He/she has the desire to keep their customers and thus will give them better service and better care. The Mom and Pop stores will be coming back in droves because the people will be happier going to them and getting good service, good products, and caring employees who offer and give help with an honest smile.