utah's an interesting place... at both places i've worked for here, we got people in "spying" as they say heh... i don't get it. especially not here. this place is so small, i know who all these people are, and it doesn't take me long to figure out who they're working for without even asking them. there are basically two or three places in the state where you can get good cheese with proper knowledgable service... one of those three where you can get *great* cheese heh. everyone else in town comes in to take notes and figure out how they can replicate what they see.
whenever i approach people who i know are scoping us out, they're very defensive and avoidant. they brush off my offers of assistance, and i say "well if you have *any* questions, feel free to ask and i'll be more than happy to help" with a broad smile and knowing wink. to which they respond by nodding, akwardly smiling back, and talking quietly whilst slowly backing away until they think i'm out of ear's range. then they huddle back together and chat over their notepads occasionally making louder comments for the sake of appearing like they are shopping... or sometimes out of spite "oh, look! i saw this at xyz for a much better price" pfft...
and regardless of who they work for, they're all the same. unless they aren't from Utah. lol. when people i recognize as visiting sales reps for suppliers that other people in town deal with, they're always chatty and straightforward.
i was talking to the boss about this phenomenon, and he shook his head and affirmed that it's a trait that many folks in the food business here share. i just think it's funny. as you say, there aren't that many secrets... yet they act all cloak and dagger, but in such an obvious way that it just makes you want to laugh and sigh.
btw, our margins are pretty much the same range ;)
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Date: 2009-05-29 05:21 am (UTC)whenever i approach people who i know are scoping us out, they're very defensive and avoidant. they brush off my offers of assistance, and i say "well if you have *any* questions, feel free to ask and i'll be more than happy to help" with a broad smile and knowing wink. to which they respond by nodding, akwardly smiling back, and talking quietly whilst slowly backing away until they think i'm out of ear's range. then they huddle back together and chat over their notepads occasionally making louder comments for the sake of appearing like they are shopping... or sometimes out of spite "oh, look! i saw this at xyz for a much better price" pfft...
and regardless of who they work for, they're all the same. unless they aren't from Utah. lol. when people i recognize as visiting sales reps for suppliers that other people in town deal with, they're always chatty and straightforward.
i was talking to the boss about this phenomenon, and he shook his head and affirmed that it's a trait that many folks in the food business here share. i just think it's funny. as you say, there aren't that many secrets... yet they act all cloak and dagger, but in such an obvious way that it just makes you want to laugh and sigh.
btw, our margins are pretty much the same range ;)