My Dear Friends,
I say this with complete humility. I say with all gentleness and kindness. I say this with an understanding of how business works.
If you own a business, you have the power to stop inflation. But But But....you may say, I only control a very small tiny part of the market. But yes, you can exercise restraint when and how you raise prices in that tiny but VERY IMPORTANT corner of your world.
If everyone lives with an unrelenting competitive spirit and raises prices as high as the market will bear, we will never stop the run-away train of inflation. Greed does not have any morals. Greed will steal food from a child. Greed will steal homes from the elderly. Greed will not have mercy.
If you are blessed to have a position of authority in your company, you can make a modest choice the next time you need to decide upon your next price increase. I am not suggesting that you run your company into a deficit. I would still encourage you to always protect the profitability of your business and the success of your workforce.
I am merely suggesting that just because people might be willing to pay ANY price you charge for your product or services, doesn't mean you SHOULD charge the HIGHEST possible price.
Consider charging a reasonable price. Consider charging a price that you know a struggling single mother could afford. Consider charging a price that your elderly disabled grandparent could afford. Consider a price that would help in a very small way, for that grandparent to be able to afford to stay in his home instead of having to live in a retirement home.
Consider charging a price that will let you sleep at night, knowing that you are not gouging your neighbor.
Consider charging a price that you know pleases your God.
And no, you might not win a Nobel peace prize. You may think that no one will notice your restraint and compassion in your pricing strategy. But know that these things, although often very quiet and seemingly invisible, are very much noticed. Your competitors will notice and your customers will notice. You will have slowed down that freight train. It is not longer a run-away train. It has become a slow moving tourist train with happy passengers.
Peace,
Carla
