Tales of a Coffee Pot.
When purchasing things for your business to operate, you can see buying essential items as an investment, or an expense. We recently needed a coffee pot, and so I went to the closest retailer that would have said item. I found a 12 cup coffee maker for $17. (this was an expense)
It turns out that a $17 dollar coffee pot is not going to last very long, and it will also cause me to purchase another coffee pot in the near future, but it will also cause many problems with spilling, and splattering that cause you to spend more time worrying about the coffee situation, and keep you from focusing on your job.
Even with things like office supplies, you can see paper clips as an expense, or you can spend just a little more and get some fancy clips that when a client recieves them make them feel like you put thought and effort into the document.
Seeing a coffee pot as an investment gets you to buy a different coffee pot. One that not only works well for your employees, but also for clients when they come by. Simple things can make a big difference.
BTW, if you would like to give me any pity for being publicly chastised 24/7 for the 3 weeks for my original putchase decision, then you can vote for my pumpkin carving, a carving of the coffee pot, at the Matchstic Intergalactic Carvorama 4000. (coming soon!)
3 Comments
"If your crew is anything like ours, then a coffee pot--a darn good and well-made one--is a huge INVESTMENT. We've bought cheap ones and we've bought expensive ones. The cheap ones are a huge liability and we inevitably have explosions in the kitchen.
Just think of the return-on-investment in terms of the productivity of little caffeinated jack-rabbits all chattering away on the phone, pursuing new business and closing deals. [Oh, and make mine fair-trade, organic and bird-friendly. ;)]"
- Eryn Emerich
"Bird-friendly??"
- Craig Johnson
"i am so glad i am not alone... i do have to echo Craig, I think Bird Friendly is a new one to me as well... but the matchstic guys do support the organic/ fair trade coffee movement."
- David Ytterberg