Interviu cu Tony Hughes, CEO Huthwaite International, invitatul Trend Consult pentru un business breakfast dedicat managerilor de vanzari.  

De ce scad vanzarile cu 50% cand economia se contracta cu doar 2%? Pentru ca recesiunea atrage dupa sine o reducere neuniforma a costurilor. Daca unele costuri sunt absolut necesare si nu pot fi evitate, oamenii se vor vedea nevoiti sa reduca din costurile variabile. De aceea, daca nu sunteti un furnizor de bunuri de baza, comenzile voastre vor fi serios afectate. In piata bunurilor de consum, o contractie economica de 2% a ajuns sa produca o scadere de 40% a vanzarilor de autovehicule. E explicabil daca te gandesti ca pentru un consumator obisnuit, a amana cu un an sau doi achizitionarea unui atutoturism nou nu reprezinta o tragedie.

Why is it when the economy shrinks by 2%, orders drop by 50%? Because recession in the economy as a whole doesn't mean an equal, across the board, reduction in your activity or your costs. Some costs are fixed, so those that can be controlled, your discretionary spending, has to be cut by a disproportionate amount. If you're a supplier of these 'discretionary' items, your orders suffer accordingly. That's why, in the consumer market for example, a 2% slowdown in the economy has produced a 40+% fall in new car sales. At an individual level it's no big deal for Mr or Mrs Average to put off the luxury of buying a new car for a year or so.