When your grandparents were young, being in business meant working to establish and retain a loyal clientele through high-quality products and superior service. If this meant working harder, later, or modifying production to make a product work better or make it safer, that is what would be done. No questions asked, no actuaries deciding if the bottom line would be affected. Companies were run by people, and those people cared.
What’s Changed and Why
Somewhere along the line, small companies became large companies, and large companies became corporations. Within the corporate structure, individual people lose the power to make the critical decisions that dictate the quality of the products produced. Bureaucratic hierarchy and accountants who exist only to guarantee a defined profit margin often influence production practices in a manner that is detrimental to consumer satisfaction and safety.
Although there are still many companies that take pride in producing fine products that meet or exceed the safety standards of their particular industry, there are some that do not. As the global marketplace expands to include every corner of the world, companies often feel pressure to increase production and decrease cost—and that can result in a willingness to compromise quality.
How this Affects the Consumer
No matter what you purchase, you are relying on the manufacturer to provide you with a quality product that is both safe and effective. When you buy something, you are not only buying the product itself, you are paying for the research and development that went into producing that particular item, and you have every right to expect it to be safe.
If the company that produced the item you purchased has been cutting corners to save money, you or your family may be directly harmed by their negligence and greed.
Consumer Protection Attorney
It would be nice if we could go back to a time when the business of business was run by people who cared about their customers’ safety and satisfaction, when a customer was always treated like family, and you could rely on everyone to do what they promised. However, today’s business model is more about the bottom line than customer satisfaction and safety. If you have been injured or sustained financial loss due to a defective product, our firm is here to help.