Ethics in Business

Yesterday I was "attacked" in an on-line forum when I questioned a post by someone who suggested doing something that may violate consumer protection laws and certainly violates basic business ethics. The person, who posted the comment in a business-to-business forum, suggested doing something that would benefit the businesses, but result in increased costs being passed on to the customer without the customer's knowledge. Consumer protection laws require disclosure of all costs; there are to be no hidden fees, and customers are to receive value for their money. The person's suggestion also violates the Better Business Bureau's standards of conduct.

When I mentioned the ethics of the person's suggestion and reminded him of the law, he said the law was stupid and people should just look the other way. To me, that seems to be a naive and self-serving attitude. If we are in business to fleece the customer, we won't be in business long. I was disappointed to see the person's attitude and to know that he thought it was a "standard business practice."

If we want to succeed in business, we need to think about the customer and how our actions affect them, both their pocketbook and their perception of our business. Those who develop a reputation for questionable business practices won't be in business long.