When Plumbers Eat Their Own

摘要

Why do some plumbing contractors feel it necessary to publicly rip other companies? Don't they know, that by attacking any one company, they are attacking the entire trade? A top plumbing contractor was recently the subject of a television hit piece that the media likes to run every so often to boost ratings by destroying small businesses. The plumber did everything right, but that is not how it was portrayed. After all, who would watch a story with the lead: "Plumber does everything right, but consumer is mad because he is expensive." The media sensationalizes to grab eyeballs and generate clicks. They feel safe in distorting small businesses because small businesses lack the resources to fight back. Plus, there is little risk of offending a major advertiser. This is why the media rarely, if ever, targets the big boxes. Fortunately, these hit pieces have a short shelf life. They tend to evaporate with the news cycle and get buried on the media websites with the rest of the old news. The only lasting legacy is the public memory that plumbers are crooks who cannot be trusted. The entire trade gets painted by the same broad brush.