Posted on 4/22/2019
We finally closed on our building in October 2004 and needed to establish utility service. Since we were coming from a Pacific Power service area, we needed to open an account with Portland General Electric. As I had renewably sourced power at home since the inception of that program, I asked for it for our new shop, presuming it to be a simple procedure. After all, it is the right thing to do for our environment. The response from the PGE representative at that time was that we couldn’t have it because they didn’t have such a program for small businesses. Was that an acceptable answer? Of course not. Doing the right thing sometimes requires pushing through inconvenience and persevering. I told the representative that even though such a program wasn’t currently available that I still wanted it. “You and I both know you’re going to have a renewable energy program for small businesses one of these days, so why don’t you go to your boss and tell them ... read more
Posted on 4/11/2019
When I think of customers I think of commercial transactions where someone is trading money for something in a brief exchange, like buying candy. You may not buy your candy at one place exclusively either, nor be willing to drive across town in order to acquire it. The transitory nature of the exchange, coupled with a focus on convenience as a primary determiner, are hallmarks of the customer mindset. Additionally, the vendor may not interact much, if at all, with the customer, as a purely commercial transaction doesn’t require any kind of relationship. A client is someone with whom a long-term relationship can be forged, and one that includes shared history and knowledge. Doctors and accountants are the kinds of vendors or service providers that are often associated with such a long-term professional relationship. We purposefully choose to see the same doctor and utilize the same accountant because history and knowledge of a situation are valu ... read more