Tough Times Ahead

[Trump]

I have a title for the paper we shall submit to the peer reviewed journals:

"On the nature of the human female mammaries in the presence of foreign consumables in relation to their spatial dimensions"

[mr smith]

Humans are parasites.

A parasite lives in a close relationship with another organism, its host, and causes it harm. The parasite is dependent on its host for its life functions.

I'm happy to substitute "another organism" with "earth"

[ebxr8240]

Just when I'm taking my super, renting my house and cruising around Aussie in our motorhome !!

[buggerlugs]

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au...-shop/2095289/
Another one bites the dust.............

[Syndrome]

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au...-shop/2095289/
Another one bites the dust.............

113 year old company. Survived through the great depression but couldn't survive in the post GFC world.

[GASWAGON]

Originally Posted by Syndrome

113 year old company. Survived through the great depression but couldn't survive in the post GFC world.

I can't believe after reading articles like these some still have the nerve to say thers nothing wrong with the economy?

It really is a painstakingly slow, slow, slow deflation of a massive mining and RE boom....Not to mention the costs involved in running a business these days!

Take note of the comment about Caterpillar moving to Thailand too....Thats a massive move also.

[Auslandau]

Originally Posted by EF_6

I can't believe after reading articles like these some still have the nerve to say thers nothing wrong with the economy?

It really is a painstakingly slow, slow, slow deflation of a massive mining and RE boom....Not to mention the costs involved in running a business these days!

Take note of the comment about Caterpillar moving to Thailand too....Thats a massive move also.

Why cant you believe that all isnt doom and gloom? Its not about nerve but putting things into perspective.

There will be some out there that are positively booming in this market at the moment. Many people are! It is only certain sectors that feel the wrath of a down turn in their particular feild and will always be While some have an upturn others have a down turn.

While I feel for those in the position of loosing their jobs, I have been in that situation before, it has always happened. Back in 1992, Nissan decided to pack up Clayton. That was devastating for many. 15 odd year later, it was Mitsubishi. There were other companies in different industries that have closed over the last 100 years or so ....... many companies have started. More will close, more will open.

Mining WILL feel it because there will be a downturn. It is happening in many sectors. Mining is booming in some areas, loosing in others. There will be downturns and there will be increases.

Living with a mortgage at 18% ..... ? I thought it was the end of the world. We sold up and scaled down. I changed jobs ....... things picked up, I moved on. Geelong has seen kicks in the bum for years upon years. They continue on. Pyramid of many years ago was an absolute kick in the pants but I am sure some will not even remember what it was all about. Depends on your age ....... my son in his 20's would have a totally different perspective to me! He cannot remember the bad times ..... only the good and yes, he would say things are crook now as thats all you hear even though he has a job and spends money like no tomorrow. He wouldnt even know that Nissan or Mitsubishi were even made here.

I own a business and employ quite a few. They are my responsibility as far as supplying a job for them. It is scary thinking the worst but you have to think of the "What ifs" In my industry it has had huge up and downs. Been a very hard year, but not the worst by far. Might have some good ones coming and WILL have some bad ones. How I manage things is up to me. I cannot control the economy but I will try and keep up and be responsive to those changes as much as I can,

After 30 odd years in the work force, this isnt the worst it has been for many. It has been for some and I do feel for them. That will continue for the next few hundred years. No use throwing your arms in the air and saying everything is stuffed. If it is for some, I feel for you. Been there, done that.

Social media and the way stories get reported .... they are no longer in the middle of the newspaper or at 6.00pm only but are aired continually during the day, on news sites and everyone making sure that every snippet of info is put in front of everyones face through every way possible. Negative bombardment becomes the norm. If you beleive it 100%, it will be. Positive thinking may not change the situation but at least it opens up some opportunities that might be missed otherwise.

If we are just talking about the Car manufacturing industry? Yes, it is in free fall at the moment and will continue for the next 5 years or so ....... it may not ever recover. Ford are closing down in a nice way (if thats possible?). What I am afraid of is GM pulling out with no notice. That would devastate Elizabeth I am sure ...... but over time other industries takes their place.

[zilo]

There is an economic tipping point that those currently unaffected in the two speed economy will be impacted.

I've seen a lot of recessions in my lifetime an this one is unique, it's a slow dance with the knife twisting gently further each day.

Been in business a long time , I have a client that normally turns over 3 million a day, yet hasn't won a significant job in over a year.


Don't mean to be pessimistic, but hard to ignore the facts Auslandau.

[superyob]

Depends on your definition of 'tough times'. In the distant past, tough times meant you could not eat or pay the rent. Nowadays it means that you can't afford Foxtel or the latest gadgets and still have 2 new four wheel drives in the garage of your mansion because you actually have to pay for childcare so that someone else can look after your kids...

[Auslandau]

Originally Posted by zilo

There is an economic tipping point that those currently unaffected in the two speed economy will be impacted.

I've seen a lot of recessions in my lifetime an this one is unique, it's a slow dance with the knife twisting gently further each day.

Been in business a long time , I have a client that normally turns over 3 million a day, yet hasn't won a significant job in over a year.


Don't mean to be pessimistic, but hard to ignore the facts Auslandau.

No one is ignoring the facts. It is tough out there but for every bloke not winning a contract, there is someone else winning it.

Things might be tough at the moment, but they were tough 80 years ago, 20 years ago and after things pick up, will be tough again.

Not even saying that things are full of roses at the moment either but it is a matter of perspective.

Some might say it's not good to bury your head in the sand and ignore the 'tough times' BUT at the same time it's no good running around saying the sky is falling as you sit and watch (as said above) Foxtel on your 60 inch screen with a bowl of chips and a beer thinking how terrible it is.

[zilo]

Originally Posted by Auslandau

.... It is tough out there but for every bloke not winning a contract, there is someone else winning it.

There is another scenario though...nobody wins the contract.

[Trump]

Originally Posted by zilo

There is another scenario though...nobody wins the contract.

That's the key right there. I'm quite sure that there has not been a time in recent history (ie the past 3-400 years or so) where the potential for such an eventuality has been so high.

[BA GT-HO]

Originally Posted by EF_6

I can't believe after reading articles like these some still have the nerve to say thers nothing wrong with the economy?

It really is a painstakingly slow, slow, slow deflation of a massive mining and RE boom....Not to mention the costs involved in running a business these days!

Take note of the comment about Caterpillar moving to Thailand too....Thats a massive move also.

I see nothing has changed with you since the real estate thread years ago. Still banging the drum of doom. Your attitude is all negative doom and gloom and offers no solutions.

The company I work for (manufacturing) was hit fair and square in the bollocks by the GFC and was losing $140K a month in one department ALONE. Yes, there was doom and gloom, yes people were thinking the worst case scenario as you always seem to.

Guess what? A few years down the track now that department is now turning a profit again.

What happened?

We changed the way we worked as a whole. From management from the bloke that sweeps the floor.

Now the company is actually winning new business and is HIRING PEOPLE. I have lost track of how much overtime I have done in the past 6 months.

If we all had thrown our hands up into the air like your good self, what would have happened? There would be a big fat padlock on the front gates.

Times are different, you either adapt or get left behind. It really is not that bad out there as it seems on a world wide scale.

You lose your job here you get Gov assistance. You might have to sell the 2nd car and lose the Foxtel. Lose your job in India? Hmmmm

Oh and for the record the company I work for has larger plants in Asia that could have swallowed our Aussie plants up quite easily. I have no doubt if we didn't react it would have happened.

[superyob]

Originally Posted by zilo

There is another scenario though...nobody wins the contract.

How does that happen? Are you talking about a contract that nobody wants or one that is offered but not given for some reason?

[Bobman]

Originally Posted by Auslandau

Things might be tough at the moment, but they were tough 80 years ago, 20 years ago and after things pick up, will be tough again. .

There is a huge difference.

Population has tripled since then and certainly almost doubled in the last 20 years in Australia, which creates more competition, more desperation and less opportunities.

[superyob]

Industry has expanded along with the population eg mining and agriculture, capitol works/schemes...

[Bobman]

Originally Posted by superyob

Industry has expanded along with the population eg mining and agriculture, capitol works/schemes...

Capital works is lagging well behind the population (especially in Melbourne).

Infrastructure certainly does not match the expanding population and as with competition you have too many shops/businesses all fighting for one customer.

Very different situation to 20+ years ago.

[superyob]

Has not the mining boom employed an ever increasing work force over the last 10 years? Infrastructure would certainly suffer as Governments have less funds due to more and more people demanding a slice of the pie. Perhaps having to many shops was not an issue in pre internet shopping days...

[GT0132]

Originally Posted by superyob

How does that happen? Are you talking about a contract that nobody wants or one that is offered but not given for some reason?

I think what he means is that people are just postponing or cancelling any proposed spending. In days gone by you had to compete for a slice of the pie in your given industry but now its a harsh reality for many that the size of the pie has gotten smaller.

I think many of the problems we face in this country come down to poor customer service. In the aftermath of the recession we had to have in the early 90's the term "the customer is always right" was born and customer service went ahead in leaps and bounds after that time . Not so in this latest round of economic misery. I use the following examples to make my point

Back in September this year ordered a new leather lounge and study table and chair from a well known furniture outlet. After 3 attempts at delivering the goods and me having to turn the delivery guy back because he had the wrong goods in his truck the outlet now say they can't find the original goods I had ordered despite them having arrived at their warehouse in late October. They say that even if they find the goods in the next week they cannot guarantee delivery this side of Christmas.

I bought a new laptop from a reputable electrical outlet recently . On discovering it hard a hard disc malfunction after only a week I rang the outlet to see if they would exchange it. I was told no, sorry, you have to deal with the manufacturer to get it fixed. That took about 3 weeks.

Bought a (not so cheap) suit from a well know menswear retailer. After about a month and only 3 or 4 uses the pants rip at middle of the backside . On taking them back the retailer he had the ordassity to suggest that this shouldn't happen to an Italian "designed" (not made) suit and that I should pay for the repair. That was until I mentioned Fair Trading.

In a liquor store recently buying my monthly supplies . Went to the counter and asked the young guy serving about a particular wine promotion and the cost savings that would apply . Was made to feel that I was taking up too much of his valuable time and that he had more important things to do than to assist customers. It was 10am on a Tuesday morning and not very busy. I left and spent my $500 elsewhere.

In a restaurant, ordered my food and 10 minutes later the waitress comes back with the wrong meal. When I mentioned that this wasn't what I ordered she was adamant that it was me who made the mistake but then subsequently apologised when she realised that the meal was for the table 2 down from mine.

Getting carpet layed in the upstairs of my home. Not a lot of parking in my street. Anyway three guys arrive to lay it and the first thing they say is "Mate….is there anywhere closer for us to park our van?...we're not walking all that way with rolls of carpet". When I said no, sorry, I had to pacify them with free Coke and pies just so they would stay and do the job I had paid for.

Where I used to work, we used a place in the outback of China to do all our back office functions – accounting data entry, IT support etc . For queries that are tedious and boring, the folk over there were only too happy to help and were quick to assist and most importantly, were accurate . When a similar task was given to our Australian staff when that was all handled here, requests were met with whinging, rudeness, were incomplete and error ridden.

Stories go on and on and on and I'm sure I'm not the only one

[TheSneakiness]

Originally Posted by GT0132

I think many of the problems we face in this country come down to poor customer service. In the aftermath of the recession we had to have in the early 90's the term "the customer is always right" was born and customer service went ahead in leaps and bounds after that time . Not so in this latest round of economic misery. I use the following examples to make my point

Back in September this year ordered a new leather lounge and study table and chair from a well known furniture outlet. After 3 attempts at delivering the goods and me having to turn the delivery guy back because he had the wrong goods in his truck the outlet now say they can't find the original goods I had ordered despite them having arrived at their warehouse in late October. They say that even if they find the goods in the next week they cannot guarantee delivery this side of Christmas.

I bought a new laptop from a reputable electrical outlet recently . On discovering it hard a hard disc malfunction after only a week I rang the outlet to see if they would exchange it. I was told no, sorry, you have to deal with the manufacturer to get it fixed. That took about 3 weeks.

Bought a (not so cheap) suit from a well know menswear retailer. After about a month and only 3 or 4 uses the pants rip at middle of the backside . On taking them back the retailer he had the ordassity to suggest that this shouldn't happen to an Italian "designed" (not made) suit and that I should pay for the repair. That was until I mentioned Fair Trading.

In a liquor store recently buying my monthly supplies . Went to the counter and asked the young guy serving about a particular wine promotion and the cost savings that would apply . Was made to feel that I was taking up too much of his valuable time and that he had more important things to do than to assist customers. It was 10am on a Tuesday morning and not very busy. I left and spent my $500 elsewhere.

In a restaurant, ordered my food and 10 minutes later the waitress comes back with the wrong meal. When I mentioned that this wasn't what I ordered she was adamant that it was me who made the mistake but then subsequently apologised when she realised that the meal was for the table 2 down from mine.

Getting carpet layed in the upstairs of my home. Not a lot of parking in my street. Anyway three guys arrive to lay it and the first thing they say is "Mate….is there anywhere closer for us to park our van?...we're not walking all that way with rolls of carpet". When I said no, sorry, I had to pacify them with free Coke and pies just so they would stay and do the job I had paid for.

Where I used to work, we used a place in the outback of China to do all our back office functions – accounting data entry, IT support etc . For queries that are tedious and boring, the folk over there were only too happy to help and were quick to assist and most importantly, were accurate . When a similar task was given to our Australian staff when that was all handled here, requests were met with whinging, rudeness, were incomplete and error ridden.

Stories go on and on and on and I'm sure I'm not the only one

This, and first bolded.

I can use the same examples.

- Delivery of a mattress they only wanted to do on ONE specified day only, said we're paying you to deliver, you will deliver when we ask for it.
- Dinner at a RSL in NSW, there were only 4 people in the dining room and it took an hour to send out 4 meals.
- Supplying something else other than what was requested.

Second bolded I will take a shot at because we have just done the same thing here with our accounting however the team that have been given the job that was outsourced here are deleting important data, causing no end of screw ups and take longer than the allocated time to process. Country in question? India.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Bobman

There is a huge difference.

Population has tripled since then and certainly almost doubled in the last 20 years in Australia, which creates more competition, more desperation and less opportunities.

If it's doubled then I would have thought that would mean (almost) double the customer base.

[Auslandau]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

If it's doubled then I would have thought that would mean (almost) double the customer base.

Its all relative ....... 3 people buy 3 apples. 100 people buy 100. Let me guess what is better for the apple grower.

Sustained population growth vs decrease in jobs etc is a myth that has been busted too many times.

[XR Martin]

Originally Posted by Auslandau

Its all relative ....... 3 people buy 3 apples. 100 people buy 100. Let me guess what is better for the apple grower.

Sustained population growth vs decrease in jobs etc is a myth that has been busted too many times.

Its not better for the grower when he's making the same amount for the hundred as he was for the three.

[superyob]

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

Its not better for the grower when he's making the same amount for the hundred as he was for the three.

Good point...

[Auslandau]

Actually is a bit of ridiculous to say that.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Auslandau

Actually is a bit of ridiculous to say that.

I don't know about ridiculous, I'm still trying to work out where the 100 for the price of 3 came from

[XR Martin]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

I don't know about ridiculous, I'm still trying to work out where the 100 for the price of 3 came from

Heres a hint, Coles and Woolworths.


Last time I looked a farmer makes about 3c a kilo for oranges, that wasnt what he was always making before the market was thrown open to imports and now that every juice company is using South American concentrate.

"But it has Australian water in it, so im buying Australian!"

[superyob]

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

Heres a hint, Coles and Woolworths.


Last time I looked a farmer makes about 3c a kilo for oranges, that wasnt what he was always making before the market was thrown open to imports and now that every juice company is using South American concentrate.

"But it has Australian water in it, so im buying Australian!"

These are the 2 I was thinking of, in bold...

[Elbow_grease9]

Originally Posted by Rodge

That bit stood out like a sore thumb. A reasonable percentage of small business owners indulge their passion(s) more than is sometimes in their best interests.
I know of one small local panelbeating business where the owner spends over $60,000 per annum racing rally cars, then complains that times are tight and gives his few staff Jack Shyte in the way of a Christmas bonus. Some of the inefficiencies I see as an accountant with small business's really amaze me. People making $150,000 per annum and claim they're flat broke and can't afford to pay their tax More often than people would imagine, a business owner can be really good at what it is they do for a business and completly hopeless managing their finances.

I wonder how many of these business owners are sucking out large monthly drawings to pay for their jumbo house mortgages ?

This.

[zilo]

Once upon a time there were 1200 branches of the Commonwealth bank in Victoria.

Now there are less than 300, and the 300 left employ far fewer per branch than previously.

Now home loans have quadrupled since then.

Bank profits have hit record levels.

What are the former/prospective employees doing?

Nothing, they are unemployed or statistically disguised by being partly employed.

Absolutely ridiculous to suggest that population growth means more prosperity.

Nothing could be further from the truth.