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From: Lance
Date: 31 Dec 2000
Time: 17:24:36
Remote Name: 239.st-louis-71-72rs.mo.dial-access.att.net
We have seen an increase in Snowbirds from Northern States into Southern States. It is truly phenomenal the difference between now and a few years ago. I attribute this to the mobile nature of our society, me included and the use of modern technology, such as cell phones, GPS devices, and Internet availability in many places to hook up to and now for the first time we are seeing a proliferation of services in major markets such as LA, Seattle, San Francisco, Silicon Valley and Phoenix of Ricochet, Inc. the first main system which came on the scene. Soon as in a few months we will be seeing Internet Direct the GM Hughes system similar to the Direct TV idea for motor homes that you can point at the satellite anytime, anywhere providing clear skies and no obstructions, such as buildings, mountains, bridges or trees. These systems will be rolled out for use in the Trucking Industry and over the road independent drivers and also to RV whizzes. GM Hughes is on the auction block to the highest bidder and we propose that Microsoft would be a likely candidate although they have been courted by Disney and other major players too. With this type of capital influx we will see it in stores everywhere and available to people who cannot get regular cable or telephone lines.
All these tools will increase the number of snow birds migrating and smart businesses will be taking advantage of this location and customer variation to help with not only profit but also skilled labor. We have been negotiating our first franchise with several Canadians who live ˝ the year in the states due to weather. They will be given fractional areas in Winter here as demand increases and then have the home court advantage in Summer in their prospective provinces. We are the first franchisor to do this and it is complicated due to the differences in the franchise registrations in both countries and in the US the registration states where Snow Birds go to. Several areas in AZ, CA, NM, and TX as well as GA and FL have areas, which cater to these snow birds and often cannot handle the volume. We think this will be relatively easy. First off. We have witnessed Fed Ex increase route drivers to handle the volume in many cities and even rent additional units and then in summer work these drivers doing other type of work until traffic picks up again for Christmas. Let us look at this scenario. People live half-year one place and Half year somewhere else. The customer base also moves half and half. I have talked to franchisees of other systems who say, I cannot wait until the busy season again. What kind of statement is that? The busy season is every season if done correctly. And why pick a location to run your business if every location is more suited? Snow Birds are needing activities to keep them busy and increase in fuel costs to travel to the new winter time area to live increase along with energy costs and food costs (remember even though we supposedly have no inflation, everything we buy will go up due to fuel costs). People in States like OR, ID, WA, MT,WY, ND, SD, IA, IL, WI, OH, NY, MA, NH, RI, CT, VT, ME, MI, and provinces like Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan have been traveling to other parts of USA for years and the numbers are also increasing. Even though we are in a Solar Maximum and the weather has been relatively nice in WA, OR, ID, MT, WY snow birds is on the increase. Well they predict another 2% in 2001 and 2% more in 2002 and we just came from a 3% increase in 1999. So we now see 2+2+3=7 and that is 7% in only three years. Now in the future as fuels to heat increase and jobs decrease all those people will migrate South again choosing to stay. Also we have had an increase in Hispanic over the border crossing from the South into states such as IL, NJ, GA, FL, TX, AZ, CA, NM, NV. As many as 600,000 permanent new residence per year. You would think that this labor would be sufficient to handle the increase in the snowbird traffic, but it is not. Also as the population of Northern States increases those residence are interested in moving and staying all year in the Southern States which increases needs of those consumers for such services as Window Washing, Car Washing, Aircraft Cleaning, Boat Washing, etc.
http://www.aircraftwashguys.com
We also now that when these residences move South for Winter like our fine feathered friends who help us get cars dirty by arial dive bombing. (I know birds do this, I swear they must have training as little birds to find cars and drop one right on top). With this migration causes a decrease in the needs for services where they came from and therefore supply and demand indicates the need for higher costs on goods in markets which sell less. This will include gas, food, services, and even taxes. The tax base to employ the workers and the government dwindles as less goods are bought by the consumers who are in different states half the year and many choosing to stay all year. Especially those in IL, where it is hot and muggy in the summer and ass freezing cold in the Winter. As taxes increase on sales of goods and property taxes increase to cover needs of local governments those governments will need to be looking at hiring part time half year help and trading with sister cities in other states of the same size, same policies and same equipment in operations. If government does not do this correctly soon then they will become inefficient and need to disappear. For instance a small city, which cannot handle its duties should return to County control. Those Counties, who cannot handle their duties for animal control, sewer, sheriffs, etc, need to be gobbled by larger counties or the state. Redundancies in government are costing too much money to consumers, and thus effecting quality of life. Since government runs inefficiently anyway, why do we need so much? Government runs like a franchise system, where the Federal government is the franchisor run by committee. States are the master franchisees. Counties are the franchisees and have managers of each store (cities). You and I? Well we are just the customers (voters). You may find that rather a ways done the totem pole, but remember being the customer has its advantages in that we are always right. Even if some of us are sop stupid we cannot push a CHAD or follow simple voting instructions. Franchisors are outsourcing more, hiring consultants, and buying back their master franchises. Franchisees who cannot run efficiently are being bought up by corporate franchisees who have many franchises. So if the government is using the franchise model and the strongest franchise systems are streamlining then should that not tell government to do a little streamlining of her own?
The easiest way to do a great job in your business is to cater to the customer, that is us, THE CITIZENS. To cater to a customer you must think like the customer and act like the customer. The easiest way to do that, is to be the customer. Which, in government the best leaders come from the people. Our government is made up of us, we elect ourselves into positions we believe are suited to our abilities by our peers. A government or business which caters to the customer, voter or citizen stands the best chance in succeeding, both short and long term. An example would be this 200+ year experience we call The United States. Works real fine, lasts a long time. Now as we plunge into the reality of the modern digital age, so far we have only seen its possibilities and some really cool and sometimes useful computer tools, its real benefits are only now coming to the consumer. In Business at The Speed of Thought and now many similar books, essays and discussions around the globe we are seeing this virtuality taking place in everything. Usually the war machine scientists get it first, try it out and find an application by using it for destruction. An obvious outlet for the human species and our desire to blow things up. It then moves into the private sector for important projects like, Microwave Ovens, Nuclear Energy, aviation space travel, telecommunications, Internet (which of course Al gore created first?), even Hummers, the ultimate SUV was created to cruise troops around in, Helicopters, hydrofoils, you name it man it came from military first.
But now we are seeing things move so fast that the general population will be getting the new technologies in some way or another within a few years from discovery and proving of concept. Many things are no being created in private sector and the military is finding great applications for them such as the palm computer technology for Navy Seal Teams. Cell phone telemetry tracking. What about the private sector protecting their rights to these advances? Patents? Who cares, by the time you get the thing filed everyone has it, four of your former employees brought it to your competitors, your key vendors sold it or partnered with another company to make it. By this time it is already on the shelves for you and I. The company with the marketing channels and fastest rollout gets the cake, but does not have time to eat it. Remember in the new age the fast eat the slow. The game never stops and people and companies enter and exit the field of their choice at will. With the Internet as a distribution channel a new wiget can be to market in months and delivered in 8-12 hours by Fed Ex if the company has their manufacturing at or near a regional hub. Now we are watching smaller companies, which service niches such as ours for washing where we soon can deliver services Dominos Style.
We need a government that can be as responsive to our needs and to use the technology available to serve us better and not be threatened by those companies who move in the market place at lighting speed. It is those companies, which the government has the most to learn from. Let the government learn form the entrepreneurs and allow them to streamline their efforts to serve us better. Rather than regulating to death the life blood of America for fear that change may eliminate the need for a large government. Let the efficiency consultants and business people come in a help the government serve us better. Why cripple American Business who need to participate and compete in foreign markets. They already have a disadvantage because of our currently strong dollar. That does not mean we are down and out, it just means it would be nice to get a little help form the government so we can bring home some of the Worlds resources and money to US soil and use it to provide jobs in the downturn economy to offset the fuel fiasco, which is in part from a misunderstanding in what fuel really is. Fuel is energy and we have plenty of energy outside our atmosphere, in our oceans, and in the elements which make up all that we are and all that we see.
Additionally, why not let the private sector help the government practice with a few small projects to prove this works. There is no need for long lines needed at the Vehicle Registration Counters, Building Permit Counters, Unemployment Office (there should not even be an unemployment office in this current economy anyway). Transfer everyone to other departments for six months.
There are plenty of jobs and yes all of our franchisees are hiring. Fill out a form at http://www.carwashguy.com .
Dog catchers, building plans, code enforcement, even the city councils, county commissioners, congressmen should be as responsive as the police department in a town of 10,000. After all if, a customer calls, who pays taxes they should be given the same service that Dominos Pizza would give them if you called for a pizza. Why can it not be this way? Truth is it can. Government before it destroys the timber industry ought to catch a clue and stop producing so much bullshit paperwork to make themselves look good. Sometime check out the per employee amount of paper waste from Boeing, GE, Microsoft, Intel, HP, and then compare it to government agencies of similar size. Ouch! Fact is the answer is about 1:50. Why? Because government is inefficient. Business has to be efficient to make money to so it can comply with all the pea brain bull shit regulations that make it nearly impossible to deliver the product or service to the consumer at a fair price. AT&T fills out 37,000 pages of tax returns? Why? This could all be done easily by an interface with their accounting department. Guess what? AT&T would be happy to send the government agencies this information, it is nearly all public anyway since it is a public company.
Back to the Snow birds subject. Businesses should be watching all demographic shifts in population temporary or otherwise. Trendy or calamitic. Business should respond to the needs of the consumer without hesitation and without excuse. It should have already been done, but if it has not then now is better than never. We must be a camilian for the customer, so should any business person who cares to prosper in now or in the future.
Government should be no different in its mission to provide welfare, health and allow each American to pursue their American Dream, whatever that dream might be. As for the government the ends are justified as long as the mission is truly fulfilled. To find the answer to this question stop any citizen on the street and ask them what they think and what they are concerned about, after all those are your customers.
If you tell the customer what they want in your business, they will only buy it until they find out what they really want. Advertising, PR, and all the help you can muster from the media cannot work forever. Although it is said that perception is reality, think to yourself, is it reality? NO, perception is perception, that is a reality. But reality is truth and that only changes with the relativity of the situation and the proximate of one dimensional time. What does all that mean? It is simple, it means that the customer will buy what they want when they want for the reasons they want and if they later feel they have been tricked they will stop buying and be angry and not return unless they cannot get a better substitute elsewhere. A government who is not reasonable and responsive to her clientel will find those customers and consumers unwilling to support her in heart, body and soul. That is not team work. We built this country together and we need to be receptive to each others needs. The citizens have to respect and trust the government and the government has to be truthful and honest to her citizens. In the event of National Security, it is okay to spin the story on CNN, and come clean later or say nothing at all.
Thanks Mr. Minder.
Call if you have any questions 1-888-WASH-GUY ask for Lance. I am looking for a good side project. We may as well wash the World while we are at it.
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