Kosher Savers

Kosher Savers

Today is the 3rd April 2018. It is the Easter period and also the Passover week when Jews, such as I, commemorate our forefathers leaving slavery in Egypt to be led out by Moses through the Red Sea on a forty-year schlep through the desert to the Promised Land of Israel with a stopover to collect the Ten Commandments from God.

There is obviously a lot more, but this blog is about business networking not about religion.

This past week there has been a lot in the news about anti- Semitism which I find annoying and the height of ignorance and intolerance. I detest racism in all its forms. I also find it a bit of a mystery. I recall sitting in Synagogue one day looking around me at the various congregants and thinking what is there not to like.

Most are warm and hospitable, absorbed in their families, enjoy their traditions and are charitable to all causes. The famous writer Beatrix Potter was tasked to look into the Jews arriving in the East End of London at the beginning of the last century and reported that there was little crime, lots of hard work except on the sabbath and no prostitution. The people were however very into gambling and I think that is why many have made good because they are risk takers.

This morning I attended a business meeting with a man who was knighted for his work in the greater community in which we reside, and he and I have several community projects in common. Basically, he made the plans and I saw his visions to fruition. I am an organised person who uses his extensive network to complete deals.

Following the meeting I decided to travel to North Manchester and purchase another box of Matza. These are the unleavened crackers that we substitute for bread during the week of Passover and wreck your daily ablutions.

I came to a shop called ‘Kosher Savers’ which sounded pretty good. They have a wedding sized marque in the carpark full of Passover approved fayre a mind-blowing array of goodies.

The customers are religious men in fur hats worn for special Jewish holidays and on the sabbath. All are on the phone to their bosses (wives) as what is on their shopping list is sold out and they require consent to substitute. This could screw up the misses menu. And lady customers are either pushing prams full of kids or trying to shepherd the brood away from the sweets and herd them into a recently fumigated Previa.

What does all this have to do with networking?? It has to do with trust. These people are a disparate group all shopping in a store that they trust. They are price conscience so the name ‘Savers’ works and the word ‘Kosher’ is good because they would never purchase any item without the correct label.

In your work you must build trust. Provide properly labelled goods at a reasonable price.

Quality add price equals trust. And if your product or service is wrong put your face straight and deal with it even if it costs you in the short term.