In January, I asked you this question: If the Gap went out of business tomorrow, would any of us care? This worthwhile question was lifted directly from the Mavericks at Work book and sparked because of Gap’s sluggish sales and the recent ouster of its CEO.
This “would you care” question is a great one to ask of any business because it tells us how well they have formed relationships with customers. If a business has formed unfailing relationships with its customers, then we would truly care if that company went out of business. On the other hand, if a business hasn’t formed a meaningful bond with customers, then we wouldn’t care if that business ceased to exist.
Throughout 2007 I am going to ask this “would you care” question of other businesses. Please offer your opinions in the comments section.
Eddie Bauer has seen better days. In recent years sales have been slow and its lost relevance. It’s CEO abruptly quit. They’ve been in a turnaround phase for years now and recently rejected two buyout offers from private equity firms.
Eddie Bauer used to be a relevant retailer. They were once a leading outdoor clothing company but in its attempt to broaden to the brand’s appeal, Bauer drifted into selling casual everyday wear and into selling linens and things for the home.
So it’s back to the drawing board for Eddie Bauer. But should Bauer even try to live for another day? Does the company still have cachet with us consumers? Do we want Eddie Bauer to live? Do we need Eddie Bauer to live? Would we care if Eddie Bauer went out of business?
