A letter to Dallas Cowboys, Inc.

Dear Mr. Jones,

I've been a user of your company's product since 1972. That's 35 years. For many years before you acquired the company, I was happy with the product. Although some competing companies' products managed to come out ahead in the market place many times, I was brand loyal for many years, even though the quality of the product began to drop considerably in the 1980's.

When you acquired the company, I was concerned with the direction the company might take, but within very few years, you had my complete confidence as the company soared to the top of the market place, winning awards and acclaim well into the 1990's. Then the quality of your product began to deteriorate again. It continues to be in decline. During this entire time, I have remained loyal to your company's brand, although I must admit to much disatisfaction for over a decade now.

No longer does your company win awards and the envy of your peers. Other companies have dominated your market place for years. This past year, your company appeared to be on a path to reclaim your value in the market place. With the acquisition of new personnel handling various facets of the company, your company began an upward climb appearing to be reclaiming the status of "elite" in your market.

Then the Christmas sales season began and your company's product quality began a nosedive, yet again. For twelve years your company's product quality has deteriorated beginning in December to the point your consumers lose their confidence in your product. As of the national showing of your product this past weekend, I would contend that confidence in your product is now at an all-time low.

Because of the nature of your company, the market place cannot manage a corporate takeover and remove management which apparently is incapable of righting the ship of this once fine organization. This leaves us, the consumers of your product, three choices.

1. To continue using the poor quality product your firm produces and just live with our own disatisfaction,

2. To switch to another company's product, or

3. To rise up, united, and demand, with our pocketbooks, that you, as head of this corporation, fix the problem or lose our business.

A concerted effort by us, your consumers, to not purchase your product, not use your product, not display your product until such time as we see you actually beginning to meet your customers' needs is not inconceivable. Many of us have the stamina to continue to love your product, in spite of the poor quality, but there are enough consumers out there who will choose option 2.

The group I'm speaking for is group 3. The only method we have to get your attention is to stop buying and using your products. We, as a group, are many times ashamed to admit that we are users of your product, and frankly, we're tired of feeling that way.

Perhaps if a thousand of us would decide to not buy tickets to see your product displayed, not to buy jerseys, cups, mugs, teeshirts, caps, posters, etc, we would get your attention. If each of us normally spent $100 per year, that's $100,000.

I contend we can show that much unification. If ten thousand were to decide to stop the usage of your product until we see positive results, not promises, of product quality improvement, that would be $1,000,000.

If a hundred thousand of us were to decide to throw our hands up in fisted rage and speak as one voice that enough was enough, that would be $10,000,000.

Heaven help us if we could dream to get a million of your consumers to decide that we're sick of an inferior product, we're starting to talk about some serious money here.

As an individual, my voice is weak and barely audible. But, Mr. Jones, there are a lot of users of your product that are just sick of this. Listen to us. One becomes two. and two become four, and four become eight, and the next thing you know, there's an army of dissatisfied consumers of your product out there and they're not spending any more money with your company until they see a fundamental change in quality control.

Can you imagine your first public display of your product in your new billion dollar showroom, and only a few people in attendance? Unlikely, yes. Completely impossible, no.

We, as users of your company's product want you to hear us. It's time to show us that you deserve the hard earned money we bestow upon your company each year. That your company deserves the loyalty we, as your consumers, give.

Mr. Jones, fix it. Within your company, you have the power. Outside your company, our dollars have the power.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Rod