Paru dans Les Affaires, le 17 mars 2007, p. 16.
Le débat concernant les heures d’ouverture des commerces a refait surface récemment quand un concessionnaire automobile de Montréal, Pie-IX Dodge Chrysler, a semé la joie chez ses clients et l’émoi chez ses concurrents en ouvrant ses portes la fin de semaine.
Les dirigeants et employés de ce concessionnaire reconnaissent que la société a changé et que les gens ont aujourd’hui des horaires plus chargés qu’il y a 30 ans. Plusieurs de leurs clients réclamaient de pouvoir magasiner à leur aise la fin de semaine, comme ailleurs en Amérique du Nord. Normal: une automobile représente un achat majeur!
Les dirigeants se sont entendus avec leurs représentants des ventes, qui ont accepté de restructurer leur horaire de travail. L’employeur a même embauché d’autres employés pour répondre à la demande.
Tout le monde y trouve son compte, semble-t-il. En fait, non. Lorsqu’un commerçant modifie ses heures d’ouverture ou son offre dans un sens qui plaît aux consommateurs, ses concurrents doivent s’adapter, au risque de perdre une partie de leur clientèle. Être forcé de toujours se remettre en question pour faire face à la concurrence, voilà bien l’un des aspects les plus ennuyeux de l’économie de marché!
Dans un passage de son chef-d’oeuvre La richesse des nations (1776), le philosophe et économiste Adam Smith remarquait que lorsque des gens qui font le même métier se rencontrent, leurs conversations ont tendance à se conclure sur des façons de conspirer contre le public. La nature humaine est ainsi faite: on préfère généralement les solutions faciles à l’effort.
Si l’on peut s’entendre sur une hausse de prix, sur un partage du gâteau qui assure un morceau pour tous, ou sur des méthodes de gestion qui permettent de faire moins d’efforts sans être sanctionné, pourquoi s’en passer?
En pratique, ces collusions sont difficiles à maintenir dans une économie de marché: il suffit qu’un joueur fasse défection, ou qu’un nouveau venu refuse d’y adhérer, pour que le pacte s’effondre. Voilà comment la libre concurrence si chère à Adam Smith protège le consommateur et pousse les entreprises à toujours s’améliorer.
Par contre, les restrictions à la liberté de commerce, d’entreprise et de travail qui sont imposées par la loi ont la vie dure. C’est ce qu’on observe dans les secteurs où les gouvernements ont instauré des monopoles légaux (assurance maladie, commerce de l’alcool, service postal à domicile) ou ont donné à des associations sectorielles ou professionnelles le pouvoir de régir l’entrée de nouveaux membres (travailleurs de la construction, médecins). Dans ces cas, un seul acteur entreprenant prêt à briser le rang reste impuissant. C’est toute une campagne qu’il faut alors organiser pour venir à bout des forces corporatistes qui défendent leur bifteck.
Heureusement, dans le cas du commerce de l’automobile, la corporation des concessionnaires n’a pas le pouvoir d’imposer ses règlements à ses membres. Les concurrents de Pie-IX Dodge Chrysler tentent donc de forcer le dissident à rentrer dans le rang par des boycotts, des manifestations et des gestes d’intimidation.
Espérons que ce concessionnaire rebelle, ses dirigeants et ses employés tiendront bon. Pour leurs concurrents, ce sont des traîtres. Mais pour moi, consommateur, ce sont des héros.
samedi 17 mars 2007
mercredi 14 mars 2007
Car buyers have a hero - Times change. Chrysler dealer should hang in
Paru dans The Gazette, le 14 mars 2007, p. A-29
The debate on retail opening hours sprang back to life recently when a Montreal car dealership, Pie-IX Dodge Chrysler, brought joy to its customers - and dismay to its competitors - by opening for business on weekends.
Management and staff recognized times have changed. People have busier schedules than they did 30 years ago and wanted the convenience of being able to shop on weekends. This is normal: An automobile is a major purchase.
Management struck up a deal with sales representatives, who agreed to reorganize their work schedules. The company even hired more employees to meet demand.
Everyone found something to like in this deal, or so it seemed. But, alas, not everyone was happy.
When a retail merchant modifies opening hours or finds some other way of pleasing consumers, competitors have to adapt or risk losing customers. Having to question constantly the way you do business and deal with competition is the most vexatious aspect of the market economy.
In a passage in his 1776 masterpiece The Wealth of Nations, philosopher and economist Adam Smith remarked when people involved in the same trade get together, talk often turns to ways of conspiring against the public.
That's human nature. People tend to prefer easy solutions over effort. If you can agree on a higher price, or on splitting the cake so everyone gets a piece, or on management methods that allow for less effort with no sanctions, why go to any extra trouble?
In practice, such accords are hard to maintain in a market economy. It takes just one defector, or one newcomer who refuses to join in, for the agreement to collapse. That's how competition protects consumers and impels businesses to keep improving.
In contrast, restrictions imposed by law on freedom of trade, enterprise or labour tend to endure.
This can be observed in sectors where governments have established legal monopolies (health insurance, the liquor trade, home delivery of mail) or have given sectoral or professional associations the power to regulate the entry of new members (construction workers, doctors).
In these cases, a single enterprising player who is prepared to break ranks remains impotent. A whole campaign has to be organized to overcome corporatist forces defending their terrain.
Fortunately, where cars are concerned, the dealers' association lacks the power to impose rules on its members. Pie-IX Dodge Chrysler is facing boycotts, demonstrations and intimidation aimed at forcing it to pull back.
Let's hope this rebel dealer holds its ground. Some individuals in the business see them as traitors. But as a consumer, I see them as heroes.
The debate on retail opening hours sprang back to life recently when a Montreal car dealership, Pie-IX Dodge Chrysler, brought joy to its customers - and dismay to its competitors - by opening for business on weekends.
Management and staff recognized times have changed. People have busier schedules than they did 30 years ago and wanted the convenience of being able to shop on weekends. This is normal: An automobile is a major purchase.
Management struck up a deal with sales representatives, who agreed to reorganize their work schedules. The company even hired more employees to meet demand.
Everyone found something to like in this deal, or so it seemed. But, alas, not everyone was happy.
When a retail merchant modifies opening hours or finds some other way of pleasing consumers, competitors have to adapt or risk losing customers. Having to question constantly the way you do business and deal with competition is the most vexatious aspect of the market economy.
In a passage in his 1776 masterpiece The Wealth of Nations, philosopher and economist Adam Smith remarked when people involved in the same trade get together, talk often turns to ways of conspiring against the public.
That's human nature. People tend to prefer easy solutions over effort. If you can agree on a higher price, or on splitting the cake so everyone gets a piece, or on management methods that allow for less effort with no sanctions, why go to any extra trouble?
In practice, such accords are hard to maintain in a market economy. It takes just one defector, or one newcomer who refuses to join in, for the agreement to collapse. That's how competition protects consumers and impels businesses to keep improving.
In contrast, restrictions imposed by law on freedom of trade, enterprise or labour tend to endure.
This can be observed in sectors where governments have established legal monopolies (health insurance, the liquor trade, home delivery of mail) or have given sectoral or professional associations the power to regulate the entry of new members (construction workers, doctors).
In these cases, a single enterprising player who is prepared to break ranks remains impotent. A whole campaign has to be organized to overcome corporatist forces defending their terrain.
Fortunately, where cars are concerned, the dealers' association lacks the power to impose rules on its members. Pie-IX Dodge Chrysler is facing boycotts, demonstrations and intimidation aimed at forcing it to pull back.
Let's hope this rebel dealer holds its ground. Some individuals in the business see them as traitors. But as a consumer, I see them as heroes.
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