bad business but they still make $

[proudtobnotpc]

After reading various threads on local businesses that seem to have some serious flaws it makes me wonder why they still exist. I will not name, names because that is not my point to attack them but rather, how are they still in business? I have a couple of different theories:

1. turn over rate- there is always new people with no knowledge of Okinawa and the local business that come to Okinawa and simply go to them because they do not know any better. Just trying to be nice without using the word Ignorance

2. the ones that have been here long enough or have been raped have no power to stop them

Your thoughts please :scratchchin:

[Richard Burns]

This thread makes RB think of gnireenignE naciremA. The reason is they pay their employees so low that they don't really loose money and they get a lot of the contracts since they're part of the "club" and for years they cheated on their taxes and I bet they still do.

[proudtobnotpc]

This thread makes RB think of gnireenignE naciremA. The reason is they pay their employees so low that they don't really loose money and they get a lot of the contracts since they're part of the "club" and for years they cheated on their taxes and I bet they still do.
nah for now I am only interested in discussing the off base establishments/companies not the ones that have contracts on base as that is a whole different story

[dk]

People need their Internet and don't care about a company's history so long as they can deliver.

[P_chan]

People need their Internet and don't care about a company's history so long as they can deliver.

Just look at comcast:D

[macker]

I will go with option 1 here....I have thought about this subject many times and thats the conclusion I came up with....

[Carl]

This thread makes RB think of gnireenignE naciremA. The reason is they pay their employees so low that they don't really loose money and they get a lot of the contracts since they're part of the "club" and for years they cheated on their taxes and I bet they still do.

They pay the employees so low so the president and chairmen can afford their nice houses (multiple), sailboats, yachts, and trips to go race said boats. I'm sure the tax evasion helps with that too. I was pissed when I saw the president's house the first time...he was living it up in one of the nicest houses i've seen in Japan while I was trying to figure out if I could afford to run the A/C. It's a fun place to work though.

[DougP]

They pay the employees so low so the president and chairmen can afford their nice houses (multiple), sailboats, yachts, and trips to go race said boats. I'm sure the tax evasion helps with that too. I was pissed when I saw the president's house the first time...he was living it up in one of the nicest houses i've seen in Japan while I was trying to figure out if I could afford to run the A/C. It's a fun place to work though.

That's why its good to be the boss.:thumbup1: Of course, anyone out there is always welcome to try their hands at starting a business. They can either put a lot of their own saved money up front or go way into debt to finance something that may not even really get off the ground. If someone is willing to take that kind of entrepreneurial risk in the first place, let them enjoy the benefits that come with success.

[RenaissanceMan]

Generally customers don't care about the features of an organization or business or service...NBC (NoBody Cares) how long the company has been in business, your degrees, etc. They don't care about those, because they are features and all businesses have them, they want to know the benefits...i.e. what's in it for me. I give you money, you give me something I want, when I find I don't want it anymore, or need it anymore, I move on to something else.

Nobody cares if they cheated on their taxes except the tax office and concerned others.. few concerned others...

[0341isa]

Because SOFA customers, especially new ones, are SO intimidated by the idea that they don't know where stuff is and can't communicate in Japanese, that they will hop on contract with the first company that they see on a flyer in the (commissary/housing office, PX) that advertises "SOFA welcome! English speaking staff!"

[Haru-sa]

Because SOFA customers, especially new ones, are SO intimidated by the idea that they don't know where stuff is and can't communicate in Japanese, that they will hop on contract with the first company that they see on a flyer in the (commissary/housing office, PX) that advertises "SOFA welcome! English speaking staff!"

Just like the sheep that they are. Sunnynet, GL broadband, Vision 1, Fad Tech, AU Kokutai, AU and the other Kiosks on base, the ridiculously overpriced computer concession on base, all of them take advantage of the language barrier and knowledge differreential of the wide-eyed FOB/FOA SOFA tourist and reach deep into their pockets. Now, that's not to say that in some cases the value for dollar spent is bad. Some of these businesses offer very good service. I'm only saying that they take advantage of a knowledge differential. If I had the same chance, would I? HELL YES! I'm not hating, I'm just envious of the good business sense!

[0341isa]

it sucks, but then I am not faulting the customers either neccessarily. I mean, if you just got to a new place, had to deal with finding a place to live, transportation, and all that other stuff, and didn't know the language or anybody that spoke it, what makes the most sense. We can;t expect people to just show up and week one start doing it like the Japanese.

oh, and please please please don't anybody bring up the whole "well they knew they were coming, they could try to learn some Japanese"...:rolleyes: yeah right.

"Please, thank you, good morning, how much, which way is the bathroom"....doesn't really enable you haggle for a car or negotiate a fair rent on a house now does it?


Side note, there is really no alternative to fad tech is there? I mean, if you want ETC don't you need a Japanese credit card? So your options are basically fad Tech or marry some local chick. I'll take FT

[socalheart]

The same can be said about tourists in general. If a restaurant or store has expensive crap but good advertising, the tourists will patronize their businesses, because it's all they know for the short time they're here. Everyone goes to Kokusai Douri, because it has great advertising, albeit mostly expensive businesses. It's like a vicious cycle. :rolleyes:

Because SOFA customers, especially new ones, are SO intimidated by the idea that they don't know where stuff is and can't communicate in Japanese, that they will hop on contract with the first company that they see on a flyer in the (commissary/housing office, PX) that advertises "SOFA welcome! English speaking staff!"

[Haru-sa]

it sucks, but then I am not faulting the customers either neccessarily. I mean, if you just got to a new place, had to deal with finding a place to live, transportation, and all that other stuff, and didn't know the language or anybody that spoke it, what makes the most sense. We can;t expect people to just show up and week one start doing it like the Japanese.

oh, and please please please don't anybody bring up the whole "well they knew they were coming, they could try to learn some Japanese"...:rolleyes: yeah right.

"Please, thank you, good morning, how much, which way is the bathroom"....doesn't really enable you haggle for a car or negotiate a fair rent on a house now does it?


Side note, there is really no alternative to fad tech is there? I mean, if you want ETC don't you need a Japanese credit card? So your options are basically fad Tech or marry some local chick. I'll take FT

For the Japanese, that's what sponsors are for in the case of the military. They are supposed to help people find the best way to procure stuff coming in, etc. Think about it, people coming here ask about stuff and we give them our best guess. It helps when the place has a good reputation. Admittedly, not all people do the job of being a sponsor well.

The Fad Tech, ETC argument is exactly on, if you want it, they provide it. Not too much gray area there. Nobody else doing it and no real alternative.

[dk]

Because SOFA customers, especially new ones, are SO intimidated by the idea that they don't know where stuff is and can't communicate in Japanese, that they will hop on contract with the first company that they see on a flyer in the (commissary/housing office, PX) that advertises "SOFA welcome! English speaking staff!"
Sorry, meant to thank (not groan) this post. Damn iPhone.

[dk]

Just like the sheep that they are. Sunnynet, GL broadband, Vision 1, Fad Tech, AU Kokutai, AU and the other Kiosks on base, the ridiculously overpriced computer concession on base, all of them take advantage of the language barrier and knowledge differreential of the wide-eyed FOB/FOA SOFA tourist and reach deep into their pockets. Now, that's not to say that in some cases the value for dollar spent is bad. Some of these businesses offer very good service. I'm only saying that they take advantage of a knowledge differential. If I had the same chance, would I? HELL YES! I'm not hating, I'm just envious of the good business sense!
Providing assistance from English-speaking staff as a higher-priced service is not a crime. However, stealing intellectual property to start your business is, last I checked.

[P_chan]

Sorry, meant to thank (not groan) this post. Damn iPhone.


Yeah blame it on the iphone:rolleyes:

[dk]

Yeah blame it on the iphone:rolleyes:
Fine, I'll blame it on the iPhone's tiny buttons. Or my fat fingers. Whichever! :w00t:

[Blues]

I can't really blame someone if they want to patronize english-catering places. It can feel very intimidating to be in a place where you are essentially illiterate and incapable of communicating to people. I make an effort to learn Japanese, but there are still some days where I feel like a complete out-of-place immigrant. Granted, I think some people do take the easy route too often, but gotta remember, you can't expect new people to know everything as much as the long-termers. Now, I would say the longer you are here, the more apt you should be to move away from those establishments since you've had more time to explore your options.

[Haru-sa]

Providing assistance from English-speaking staff as a higher-priced service is not a crime. However, stealing intellectual property to start your business is, last I checked.

draw me a clue, i'm drawing a blank. PM as necessary if it's not publicly consumable...

[Haru-sa]

I can't really blame someone if they want to patronize english-catering places. It can feel very intimidating to be in a place where you are essentially illiterate and incapable of communicating to people. I make an effort to learn Japanese, but there are still some days where I feel like a complete out-of-place immigrant. Granted, I think some people do take the easy route too often, but gotta remember, you can't expect new people to know everything as much as the long-termers. Now, I would say the longer you are here, the more apt you should be to move away from those establishments since you've had more time to explore your options.


VERY, Very well put.

[Richard Burns]

A sponsor's only required to get you checked in to the unit and lodging. That's all. Anything else they do is out of the goodness of their heart.

[0341isa]

here's also something I gotta see both sides on.
I totally get and undersand the idea of shopping around, doing the extra step, whatever whatever to get the best price. Who doesn't like getting a better deal or saving money?

Still, when I get the "wastefulness speech" or the "being lazy" comment from people I know because I didn't do the extra work, online ordering, drive across town, or shopping all over to get the best price, I point out that:

Money has a value, but Time has a vlaue too. So do effort, convenience, and avoiding frustration. Sometimes you choose to save one, at the expense of another.

[abonifi1]

it sucks, but then I am not faulting the customers either neccessarily. I mean, if you just got to a new place, had to deal with finding a place to live, transportation, and all that other stuff, and didn't know the language or anybody that spoke it, what makes the most sense. We can;t expect people to just show up and week one start doing it like the Japanese.


The problem here, is that the sponsors as with most of the military on this island are completely clueless about where to go, or what to do.

They take their sponsorees to the same place their sponsor took them.

They make no effort or attempt to go and try something new, they just accept everything laid out in front of them, and then use one excuse or another as to why they could not try.

Its a perpetual chain, that has lasted for years, and will continue to last for years to come.




oh, and please please please don't anybody bring up the whole "well they knew they were coming, they could try to learn some Japanese"...:rolleyes: yeah right.

Hell you have people who live here for years and never try too.



"Please, thank you, good morning, how much, which way is the bathroom"....doesn't really enable you haggle for a car or negotiate a fair rent on a house now does it?



If you really wanted to haggle, you can do it in any language, I have haggled in many countries where I did not know any of their language.

There is a calculator on your cell phone that shows numbers, and the head shaking eft to right is pretty much a universal sign for no.

[RenaissanceMan]

- Businesses on base, businesses that advertise a lot = higher overhead = higher cost for consumers. But a business would be very dumb not to advertise to US who get a steady paycheck, and not try to at least get a base contract.

My business used to have a base contract with MCCS, they took like 20% but I just did not like the way they wanted me to come so bad, and when we went there, they totally forgot about us, only cared about us a month before our yearly contract was up...

Lastly, as I always say..you get what you pay for... if you want something cheap, you will get the service you payed for usually.. Sometimes, just sometimes...IMHO the person who undercuts everyone else by a large percentage is really only charging what they think their services are truly worth... think about it. Just MHO