Speaking Up in a Corporate

Speaking Up in a Corporate Enviornment

Speaking up in a corporate environment -- the faulty keyboards

A few years back, I was employed within an Iranian consumer electronics manufacturer. The company produced and distributed a wide array of consumer products, including television sets, kitchen appliances and computer periphericals. During one specific year, the managerial team was focusing on increasing the sales volumes in order to meet the financial goals of the firm. In their achievement of this goal, they seemed willing to cross the borders of ethics. One specific example is constituted by the realization one of the managers had that some of the keyboards which were being shipped to consumers were faulty. His immediate response was that of continuing the shipment process in spite of the found faults. The explanation forwarded as justification revolved around the necessity to meet the sales goals, as well by the fact that the faulty keyboards would be dealt with by the after sales teams.

This decision was unethical and I did not agree with it. The customers trust the company to provide them with high quality products and at reasonable prices. One should not be spared in favor of the other, nor in favor of short-term organizational goals. When the customers purchase a product, they do so not only for the immediate functionality of the product, but also for its emotional and professional importance. A keyboard will for instance allow the parent to better communicate with his emigrated child, to see photographs of his nephews and so on. The customers regard the product as much more than just plastic keys which allow them to write on the computer. And when the company ships faulty keyboards, we break the trust of our consumers.

Once the consumers' trust is broken, it is extremely difficult and costly to gain it back. Breaking consumer trust is even a major reason as to why so many economic agents fail in their endeavors and are forced to declare bankrupt. Take the example of an office ordering keyboards to equip all of its computers. As this corporate customer finds faults in all of its ordered products, it will lose trust in the manufacturer. And even if we do remedy the problem after sale, the company will have to await and as such register reduced organizational productivity. In the future, they will no longer order from us based on the negative experience.

I was able to understand the standpoint of the manager, even more so as I recollected that international leader Dell had also engaged in the same practice. But I also remembered the scandal which emerged as Dell was exposed for knowingly shipping faulty personal computers, as well as desktops. The company has been accused in court and the trial has been ongoing for three years now, without signs of a resolution. In the general scenario, Dell risks fines, which they can afford. But if our company was to be fined, our overall financial stability would be threatened as we do not afford to pay fines.