Succeeding Together In Business

A Letter from a business owner in Worcester Massachusetts

Often, people don't really like their jobs. Studies affirm that 70% of working people hate their jobs. Even those who may enjoy them, often are overwhelmed about the idea of spending their entire lives, doing the same routine work. This is one of reasons why people decide to start their own business in order to have control over their destinies.

Today, people with an entrepreneurial spirit undertake their paths to success, using all available strategies to market their businesses. The process of starting and running a business is very complex, and two-thirds of businesses end up closing within three or less years after opening. Small- businesses fail in to the reach success for a variety of reasons, including: the owner’s lack of business strategy skills, lack of investment back-up funds, and lack of specific business markets, etc.

Get some skills and some courses before establishing a business

Many Congolese living in US, at some point, fantasize about starting their own business. Why not? It is common to see that they are being motivated by the desire to accomplish stress-free types of occupation; to have a hold over their own destiny, to get a significant professional autonomy, and to finally enjoy the pride of ownership in the land of opportunities...

However, it's scary to know that our consumers do not understand or simply do ignore the terms and conditions of contracts, and they often expect Congolese business owners to offer additional services without them having to spend “extra-dollars” for “extra-services.” Congolese fake to not understand these contracts, while at the same time they are not ready to take responsibility in paying their bills as agreed.

Because of poor sales skills and the lack of clients' retention skills, Congolese businesses often fail to succeed for some reasons I have already mentioned earlier. In addition to these reasons, Congolese business owners fail in community because of a lack of trust and understanding between Congolese people.

Many Congolese business owners have an erroneous and a miscalculated assumption that people will bring them business just because they are Congolese. In fact, no Congolese will do business with you if you are not competitive... If you do not present a persuasive marketing, or do not earn your referrals and customers’ appreciation.

Congolese businesses will need to establish good relationships with customers, because trust occurs only in the context of a positive relationship. Congolese businesspersons will need to, absolutely, honor their promises; do whatever they agree to deliver in contracts.

It is common to now see business owners failing to explain all contracts’ terms to customers before they sign them. Owners will need to make customers happy in order to keep them for long time as customers and to have them refer their friends and relatives to the business. Poorly informed or uneducated consumers can also kill small businesses in the process of dealing business.

Consumers are often unfair in dealing with businesses

Nonetheless, Business owners are not the only ones to be blamed for the failure. These very same customers have their share of responsibility for the closing down of Congolese businesses and for contributing sometimes to their unsuccessful business experience.

First of all, consumers in our community do not understand the importance of having Congolese-owned businesses. People do not value sufficiently the impact these small businesses will have for the overall community development of Congolese living in US, as far as they are creating jobs and helping to respond to community needs.

Most of our consumers do not understand while dealing with Congolese businesses, and they, unfortunately, exhibit a poor attitude when dealing with Congolese businesses. They often look for cheap services or to obtain products or to borrow money. What these consumers ignore is the fact that businesses are made out of a structure and deals with high costs (rent, phone, car, taxes, etc), as do other US small businesses.

Our consumers also simply ignore the terms and conditions of contracts and they expect the Congolese business owners to offer additional services without them having to spend “extra-dollars” for “extra-services” Congolese fake to not understand these contracts, while at the same time, they are not ready to take responsibility in paying their bills as agreed. The least to say is that Consumers rarely admit mistakes when dealing with Congolese small-businesses. There is here lack of skills to resolve problems. I think it is to our best interest to encourage our own when doing business with them. I have noticed that even after both parties’ issues are resolved, yet people will go out to talk harshly about business owners with the intention to just damage their reputation in spite of all the owner’s efforts and its improved customer service.

Congolese Consumers Vs. Business Persons

By creating controversies in this relationship, we destroy our own assets, instead of appreciating owner’s skills and recommending their business to other Congolese. As a people, we are to seek the establishment of more business partnerships and trusts for the future. It may be all right, sometimes to be blaming each other, but what will the final results? Based on my own experience as a small-business owner, I thought it was indicated for me to share these concerns with readers.

I thank Congoboston.com for giving me a window to voice up about the issue, and to advice a better practice of business for our common good. I’m sure that complaints, arguments, and excuses will never make anything positive happen in our community. Above all, I resent Congolese people in our midst, whom for personal reasons or issues with their fellows, will expose them, claiming on consumers’ embezzlement and the negligence even after service was rendered, based on terms and conditions in the contract.

I don’t know what one thinks about that harmful tendency in some Congolese consumers, but it’s time now for us to come together and to honestly work together when trading products and services, basing our aim to building business relationships, trusts, and business partnerships. As long as business owners are negatively impacted by negative inputs from consumers, and vice-versa, we will remain inefficient economically down the line, and the development is slowed down at this point.

Any questions or reactions to this article can be forwarded to the article’s author, in care of: Info@congoboston.com

By Willy Lukanga

Note: Mr W. Lukanga is the owner of Easy Cargo Freight, a Congolese-owned small business, specialized in international freight forwarding and customs brokerage. He relocated his new office in downtown Worcester Mass. Mr Lukanga contributes with writings for our Business networking section, called “business page” in order to push an effective community development within the community of residents from the DR Congo in US. The author’s views, which are written independently, do not necessarily reflect those of Congoboston's editorial staff.