Communicating with competitors

Hi,

I was running a delivery today, listening to the local news on the AM radio, and learned about a PJ pizza driver being robbed in one of my neighborhoods on July 5. Perp had a gun, driver had a gun, driver went home, perp went to the hospital. Here in Lexington County SC we are 2 and 0 this year, with drivers going home and perps not. The gangs are going to have to find a new method of initiation.

http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=10716759

The question I have is this; Should Papa Johns had called me and others and informed us? Especially me since that particular neighborhood is in the heart of my delivery area. Both times we have had a driver robbed I have called all the other shops in the area and told them every detail I knew about the situation. I would be tickled to death if any of these shops went out of business, but I do not want to see them get robbed and have an employee possibly get hurt or killed.

So, if you get robbed do you let your competitors know exactly what happened so they can be more aware? Or do you say nothing and let them take their chances? I watch / listen to a lot of news, and today is the first I heard of this incident, 2 of my drivers also heard nothing.

Rick

I’m surprised to hear that PJ’s and others allow their drivers to “carry” while making deliveries. In the past, most would rather have their people just give up the pizza and the money and walk away. When pressure is put on the drivers by local thugs, the police generally step in and begin making deliveries with outstanding success. Pizza delivered, and criminal put away (with or without holes).
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

I would let other shops around here know about something like that, safety of our community comes before competition in my mind. I think it also falls on the police department to have a way to notify you about something like this too.

I will be speaking to local law enforcement. My neighbor (State Farm Agent) and I are helping the local sherrifs department set up a community business watch similar to a neighborhood crime watch. I would think I would have gotten an e-mail or call or something. The resident deputies office is only about 300 yards from our storefront.

Rick

Thank god I don’t have to worry about stuff like that. Stories like this make me happy I live where I do.

I am not aware that a pizza driver has EVER been robbed here beyond a pizza stolen from the car that I read about in the newspaper about 8-9 years ago.

bodegahwy - MY thoughts exactly.