 The New
Nepotism
Incestsourcing v.
Outsourcing
Published in Boston Business Journal June
2, 2006
It seems that one half of
the business community is up in arms over
outsourcing while the other half exploits it.
Debating the loss of jobs and productivity
versus the economics of a world is too complex
a task for this article -- or its author.
However, there is a practice much closer to
home that takes away work from professionals
and trades people every day while
simultaneously diminishing quality and the
prospects for success for small business. If
you’ve ever viewed a poorly designed, verbose,
unfriendly or uninformative website or
brochure, you’ve probably experienced it first
hand.
Who are the perpetrators
of inadequate (often incomplete) web sites or
other corporate representation? Most likely
suspect—“my wife’s nephew”—or some other
equally irrelevant qualification. Usually it’s
being done for “next to nothing.” All too often
“next to nothing” is exactly what gets
delivered. For example, one business I knew
waited over a year for a simple web site to be
completed. When the site was finished, it
didn’t function properly—a poor reflection on
the organization it was supposed to
help.
In several other
instances, the “developer” had been paid in
part and never again answered the phone or
email—the technological version of a gypsy
contractor.
The
Big
Change
It wasn’t always this way. Image
conscious and savvy companies used to
take more care with their business cards
than today’s nepotistic companies do with
their sites, brochures, snail and email,
and sales materials. Websites, brochures,
corporate ID, mail and other
communications are being thrown together
by non-professional, part-time relatives
and “friends.” These short sighted and
short dollar efforts come at the expense
of long term goals and first, second, and
third time impressions. Not only are
marketing professionals losing
opportunities, but numerous organizations
are missing quality inquiries, as well as
sales and client acquisition
opportunities.
In today’s highly
competitive markets, a prospect is presented
with too many choices to settle for companies
who apparently don’t take pride in their
interactions with the market. The
unprofessional communication is similar to
showing up very late for a new business
appointment—in a torn T-shirt.
The
New
Process
In fact, many people searching
for a company, product, or service are
actually trying to simplify the selection
process by eliminating a vendor. The
half-fast letter, advertisement or site
provides the perfect justification for
elimination. Shoddy marketing may
generate some sales, but the
opportunities lost due to careless
communication can not be
tracked.
How did we end up in this
situation? The ubiquity of technology, the
impermanence of businesses and markets, and an
economy which has created the possibility and
necessity of part-time endeavors are all
contributing factors.
What can be done? The
good news and the bad news is that in most
cases organizations are not deluded into
mistaking poor quality for good work. Instead,
they settle. What highly skilled web developers
and graphic artists often hear is “I know it’s
not very good, but….”
Companies must keep in
mind that the reason they have marketing
communications—ads, brochures, etc.—is to
attract prospects. Nepotistic mediocrity that
starts as a favor or a freebie may not only
fail to attract, it may repel. To paraphrase an
old saw, “if you can’t say something nice (or
meaningful or clever or attractive) about your
own company, don’t say anything at
all.”
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