There are many businesses giving back to the community. They mention it in brochures and in banners proudly displayed in-store. It’s in grocery stores, banks and coffee shops. It’s everywhere you go. But have you ever stopped to consider what the term “giving back” implies?
In order for people to give back, they must first have received something. Not only that, it is implied that the original recipient got more than the giver. It implies there was an unbalanced transaction in which the recipient unfairly gained at the expense of the giver.
What an interesting idea! There is an underlying assumption that a business benefited but the consumer did not. However, I don’t believe business transactions work this way. I believe a business must provide products or services of value in order to get paid. Both parties benefit from the transaction.
Since both the business and its customer are better off because of the transaction, there is no need for the business to give back. In fact, the business is already giving to the community by providing a useful product or service.
This distorted view of the business transaction is harmful to business owners. It can make those of us in business for ourselves feel bad for taking people’s money. we feel guilty like we benefited but our customer did not. But business only works when both parties gain.
I struggle with this issue myself. Our book study groups begin this week. One woman signed up for the group and politely mentioned to me that I had not told her there was a cost to participate in the group. Yikes! How did I manage to forget to tell her about that? On the surface, I was racing against the clock, getting people to sign up before we ran out of time. At a deeper level, though, I think I’ve been effected by our society’s tendency to devalue the contribution of business, even when that business is me. Sure, reading our book and applying it’s contents to one’s life could change that person’s life forever, not to mention the ripple effect on the lives of other people. But I still find myself struggling, telling myself maybe we shouldn’t ask people for money.
It’s crazy, I know. but the idea that a business benefits at the expense of its customers is pervasive. Perhaps you’ll see it next time you hear about a business giving back.
