Business Strategies – Charles (Chuck) Kensinger

PURCHASING

March 31, 2026

I have been purchasing for almost 40 years. My first job as a purchasing agent was in 1978 with General Petco in Springfield, MO. I was promoted from assistant livestock manager to purchasing agent on the recommendation of two men whom I had worked under in that company. When these two managers were asked who in the company might be able to handle purchasing, my name was given.

I was told that we would try it for six months. Purchasing and I were such a good fit that in 1979, I took another purchasing position with a company I worked at for twenty-five years. I began as a purchasing agent and was promoted to inside sales, office manager, outside sales, back to office manager, and then operations manager. There was no job that I had not done. I trained people in purchasing, warehouse, sales, and clerical positions. I helped write the procedures manual while I was there.

While my title and job description varied over the years, I maintained purchasing responsibilities for the twenty-five years I was there. When I left there, I went to a manufacturer as the maintenance and repair buyer. MRO and OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturing) buyers vary in the products and quantities they purchase.

I retired as the purchasing manager at a manufacturer. Most people with average intelligence can be trained to do what I did. I was there for years and had a good handle on the position. The training process was not well thought out and implemented when I started.

This company is not unusual. Experienced people are hired and expected to do their work with minimal training. Few and far between are the positions where training is a priority. If you get two days with the last person to do the job, you are lucky.

I’ve trained everyone from truck drivers to salesmen. I know how to show anyone how to do any of the jobs I have performed over the last fifty years. I always gave new employees a steno pad to make notes. No one has as good a memory as they think they do. I encourage newer employees to broaden their horizons and learn as much as they can.

When I was a high school student, my first position was as a fry cook, and I learned how to do everything there and was put in charge of closing the drive-in from time to time. My first job out of college was as a food service management trainee. Every time I took a new job, I did my best to learn where I could go next.

I study anything I can to train myself, whether it is reading books or articles, or stepping into other roles to learn what they do. I told the president of a company I was interviewing with that on my first day, I would start training to take my boss’s job. Believe it or not, that was the reason they gave me the job.

Who gets the money?

March 11, 2026

I’ve written before, warning you to check out organizations that you give money to. Let me add some further insights into these discussions. I have people come to my door asking for help for themselves or groups they are working with. This sounds perfectly legitimate, but how do you make sure?

Ask for the name they are representing. Use your smartphone to find this company. Are they not for profit? Some of these businesses are just businesses. They take your money and put it into their coffers. They may or may not donate some to charity.

This is important when neighborhood kids are earning money for their schools or churches. You’ve been asked to buy candy, cookies, popcorn, or other items from them. A one-dollar purchase may net them only ten percent or less. Ask how much their cut is. If you trust the kid, give the amount asked for and let them keep the product.

This is the best way to deal with the catalogs that are often used to finance school projects. Many of the items are five dollars or more. Donate the money, and the entire amount can go to the child’s school. Buy something, and they receive a much smaller amount. The businesses providing this service get most of the proceeds.

If you do not know the person, keep your money and politely tell them you have already donated to this group. If you do not recognize who they are supporting, tell them you donate to your church or another not-for-profit that you help. Don’t lie to them and don’t continue the conversation. Close the door and go on with your day.

Do you want to help certain groups but don’t know how? I live in Springfield, Missouri, which is home to Convoy of Hope and Wounded Warriors. We also have a Habitat for Humanity Renew Center. They are all nationally known groups that always need additional funds for all the things they do for others.

Is there a group that has helped someone in your family or that you know? These would be excellent places to donate your money. Do not send money to any online group that you do not know personally. If you receive an email or social media post, verify that the money will go to whom they say it will receive your donations. I prefer to donate privately rather than online.

As I have mentioned before, be aware of to whom and what you give your money. A man I used to work with attended a church that was from a denomination I did not know. I asked questions about the church and found that his fiancé’s father was the pastor, and he owned the church property.

In later years, I heard of many such congregations that found out that their worship centers were not actual not for profit organizations. Donations made to them were taxed, and if the owners or pastors kept the books straight, they were legal. Ask the question before you give, “Who gets the money?”

I’m in marketing, you want management

February 5, 2026

I began my career as a full-time minister of the gospel in the 1970’s. I have been studying and learning my trade for over five decades. When I think about what I knew then, I am amazed at how little it was. As I ponder my entry into the presence of God, at the time of my death, in another forty or fifty years, I consider how small my grasp of who God really is. At that time, I will join those same people who taught me about him sixty years ago.

When I started my journey through God’s word, I was in my teens. My life of service and ministry has taught me a great deal. Years ago, a friend asked me why God did certain things. The question was about why bad things happen to good people. I did not know the answer. I still do not understand everything about Jehovah. My answer to these inquiries is the same as on that day. “I’m in sales; you want management.”

The ones who are in the upper echelon of every Christian denomination should use the same response. Even the Pope is a representative of Jesus Christ and not the head of the church. We forget that. We try to defend Yahweh and His actions. That is not our job. Our job is to explain what we find in the Bible. I do need to explain to you why things happen the way they do in our world today.

Those are the things that I am still learning from the scriptures. He tells us who He is and why He must work the way He does. My job is to listen to what He says and share those thoughts with you. My ideas are not original. Many others can tell you exactly what I am saying. I may express it differently from others.

Your job is to take what I and other ministers or scholars tell you and check the Bible to be sure we know the Lord the way He reveals Himself in the Word. You do not want to believe in Him because of incorrect information. One of the first things I must tell you is some of the things that He will not do when you become a born-again believer.

As a salesman in the secular world, my job was to promote the products I sold. My employer was wrong if he or she wanted me to lie about the advantages of those items. To be able to tell them what it would do and what it would not do, I had to study the information that was provided about it. I read specification sheets, technical data sheets, and catalogs. I even looked at items being used by customers and, in some cases, used them myself to understand how they performed. I have done exactly that for over fifty years with God.

You will not become perfect. That means you will continue to sin. I know some teach that if you cannot stop sinning, you are not really a believer. Read the Bible. It tells us that if you say you are no longer sinning, you are deceived. Jesus died for our past, present, and future errors.

You will have trials, and others will not treat you perfectly. This is the way it works with fallen humanity. I’m sorry it must be this way, but it just is. Christ can help us get through the tough times if we will let Him.

Word of mouth

January 12, 2026

The best method of promoting your business is not advertising. It does not matter if you use digital media, broadcast media, or billboards; they are not the best option. Word of mouth has been proven to be the primary way customers find out about vendors.

If you are using a marketing company that has not already informed you of this, I feel sorry for you. One of my first jobs out of college was as a marketing director for a small company. We were in a niche market, and I recommended that our owner, who was our salesman, protect his personal reputation. It was our biggest asset.

I had no formal training, so I did not have all the book knowledge. I read every book I could lay my hands on about the subject. We conducted a direct marketing campaign through catalogs mailed to potential customers. We even had a toll-free number to accept orders. No, there was no internet or digital marketing at that time.

Our mailing pieces included order forms and a postage-free envelope to send them back to us. My boss purchased stamps and sent them on the pre-addressed envelopes. When I gave him the cost savings figures for purchasing a postage meter and a number to print on the return pieces to pay postage that way.

When I mentioned that over sixty percent of the stamps he sent out were not used for our orders, he did not believe me until I showed him the accountant’s ledger. I reworked the upcoming catalogs and flyers with freshly written copy. I photographed all the items in-house and saved almost as much money as I received in pay.

When I became a pet store manager, I trained our sales staff to remember the old saying, “The customer is always right.” We needed to acknowledge it as correct and realize that we should make them think it is true, but help them see when they were not exactly perfectly buying the best for them.

There was the lady who purchased tiny fish and put them in with the small ones that ate them the first night. I increased the sales by getting my customers to recommend my store. Later, at another company, I was instrumental in treating our customers in a fashion that they recommended us to others.

Our advertising budget was allocated to regional trade magazines and free giveaways to customers. Many of our vendors offered free sample products to us, which were not purchased as much as they could have been. I even put inexpensive products on the counters to promote good maintenance practices.

I left sales and marketing and became a purchasing agent, supervisor, and manager. I continued promoting my word-of-mouth advertising program from the other side of the desk. I can’t tell you the number of times I told others the best companies to purchase from and why I felt that way.

Improve your business by treating your customers the best that you can. Paying employees better who take care of customers is more effective than the best commercial you ever used. Getting them in the door to have them treated poorly never works. I know, your ad department just laughed at me.

$19.99

November 22, 2025

The U.S. Mint is no longer producing pennies. It has been discussed for years. It costs over three cents to make them. I hate to have to say this, but I agree with this decision. It has been a long time coming.

I also heard that nickels are more expensive than their value. That makes me wonder if the U.S. Mint should discontinue production of small coinage. When I was a kid, we had penny candy. We went to Andy’s market across Nichols Street from York School and might spend a nickel or a dime at a time. I picked a penny off the sidewalk one day and bought a tootsie roll. They tossed it in a sink of water as I went out the door.

Walmart and other businesses have already said that they will round a total to the nearest nickel when you are paying cash. They say it may save you a few cents or cost you a couple. They are the ones who are making that decision.

Why are prices not all set to the nearest dime anyway? Why is there even a price on anything that is ninety-nine cents anymore? When I studied marketing, we were told that many see the first numbers of the price. The title of this article registers to me as twenty dollars. Some see it as Nineteen.

I’ve been counting change for sixty-five years or more. I have a jar full of coins. Many of them are pennies. I will continue to save them from my pocket each night. I don’t use cash as much as I once did. When the coins in that jar are worth more than their face value, I will sell them to a coin collector.

I do not see this as being a huge problem. Most transactions are digital. I’ll just be sure that I keep a few coins in my pocket so that I can make exact change when making a cash purchase.

For years, some sellers who specialize in cash have included tax in their price. No coinage is needed when you do it this way. We seem to want to make our population less intelligent and pass on more jobs to artificial intelligence devices. Eliminating the need to count change will make it easier to program these machines. Both human and digital. There was a time when knowing how to count was considered a compliment to your parents and teachers. Should the inability to do so be considered their fault?

If Walmart wants to charge me an extra two cents for my purchase, then I will simply leave that sale on the counter. It will cost more than that to put it away. We don’t go to their stores very much. I have the right in America to patronize whoever I wish.

When I was young, my parents discussed that they did not make mills anymore. This was a coin that was used for taxes and was worth a tenth of a penny. I still have a two-dollar bill that is a silver certificate from Hawaii when my Dad was on a ship in the Pacific during World War II. I wonder if I could sell it and pay off all my debts.

Advertising to steal your money

October 29, 2025

I’ve talked about misleading television ads. It is assumed that stations and networks will not air ads that are not in compliance with FCC regulations. From time to time, companies are found guilty of crimes by government organizations. The FTC, FCC, or others may file suits against these businesses.

I am not referring to any groups that are anything but legitimate. Do our governments allow legal theft of our money? Yes, they do. They promise things that they cannot deliver, and you are still legal. Especially for the gambling industry. You may win some money, and that makes it legal for them to say this.

My Microsoft Word grammar check wants me to change “win” to “earn.” Does Microsoft own stock in gaming companies? This brings out another reason why I believe our culture has decided that gambling is another of those past vices that should be viewed as reputable.

Missouri made it legal for companies to establish sports betting in our state. We already have bingo, the lottery, and casinos on boats on our waterways. Now you will be able to sit at home or anywhere and make wagers for sporting events on your computers, tablets, or other devices. Of course, the spots have warnings that some find gambling difficult to stop.

I’m sure that will be as effective as the warnings against tobacco and nicotine usage, alcohol and drug abuse, and other activities that we once thought civilized society should restrict. Some areas have legalized prostitution, and often these are notorious gambling zones. Why do you think Las Vegas, Nevada, is called Sin City?

Another name for this wagering capital is Lost Wages, Nevada. In 1969, my New York Mets took their first World Series title. I was not old enough to go to Vegas and place a bet. I’m sure a twenty-dollar wager placed before the season started would have netted thousands for me. I had predicted this win for over five years.

While some chances may pay off, we need to think intelligently about the chances we take. I am constantly amazed by how many folks I know who expect to invest money in lottery tickets, bingo, or casinos and gain a fortune for future needs. Now in Missouri, you can add sports gambling to the list.

Anyone who thinks about it knows that the companies that make their money from any kind of wagers will not allow themselves to pay out more than they bring in. That means that most gamblers may win some but will ultimately lose what they win if they continue to wager.

Random games of chance are the worst offenders. Sports gaming may seem a more certain chance, yet the winner is never truly known until the end of the game, or match. There is no sure thing. Please do not be one of those that fall into this trap. Gambling is a legalized means of stealing your money.

Don’t overpay

September 9, 2025

This is a line from a celebrity spokesperson on a commercial for an insurance plan. Some of you will deny that this is insurance. Insurance is a word that is defined as “a practice or arrangement by which a company or government agency provides a guarantee of compensation for specified loss, damage, illness, or death in return for payment of a premium.”

An alternate definition is “a thing providing protection against a possible eventuality.” Using this idea, I would like to present an alternative idea to some of the “Insurance” that is currently being sold. Life, automobile, or health insurance is not needed by everyone. Those of us without financial resources to pay for responsibilities brought on by circumstance need these policies.

The full quote from the commercial is “Don’t overpay for anything.” This line is written by someone other than the actress who speaks the line. An advertising copywriter penned this phrase. I am not sure when it was first used. Probably hundreds of years ago.

I do not like to pay more for something than it is worth. What makes a service or product cost what the provider wants to charge you? Our current economic philosophy is called “supply and demand.” This means that what is being offered is worth more if the supply is lower or the demand is higher.

Demand is artificially created or increased by advertising. We purchased a new HVAC system last year. This year, we are having a new roof installed. We called some of the companies that advertise on television for both. We chose the best rates from companies that rely on word of mouth.

Friends from church recommended the heating and air company. Their price was eleven thousand less than one of the companies that hawk their services on TV. Our roof will be over five thousand dollars less than another advertiser. I have also dealt with a plumbing company for years that recently announced drain cleaning at $100 discount. I find that interesting since my last service cost over $100 more since they began running ads.

If they provide quality work or products, why do they need to pay to let customers know how good they are? Look for businesses that friends and neighbors recommend. What makes me think that we will have a superb roof installed? Three neighbors in the last two years are satisfied and have no complaints.

Back to the insurance type advertising. What about the local family that bought the service on the recommendation of their utility company and is still trying to find the money to repair their home, when the fine print in the contract allowed them to deny the repairs because of work that was done before the contract was signed? You must have someone do an inspection at your cost to ensure the agreement is valid.

Cancel these plans and put the money in a savings account that draws interest. This includes all the home repair, automobile service, or other groups that make their money by promising things they have no intention of doing. If you have paid for these services and found out after paying for them that your claim does not qualify, contact me. I want to let the unsuspecting consumer know what can happen to them.

Tariffs are here

August 14, 2025

OMG. What are we going to do now that all these prices are going up? With over forty years in purchasing and procurement, I have done extensive research with my sources in the business community and have identified seven steps to minimize the impact of this crisis on your life.

If you work in the transportation industry, prepare for a possible layoff. Depending on the impact of these higher costs you may have cutbacks on the amount of time you work. Cut back on expenses. Don’t take out any more debt. Try to save as much as you can. Don’t buy frivolous items. Sodas, coffee, lunch or dinner, alcoholic beverages, or lottery tickets are a few things I will eliminate. For the most part it may not affect you at all.

Buy American made. I am talking about things that are made from beginning to end in this country. In our area this is the season for local festivals. Handmade gifts are in abundance at these annual events.

Make your own gifts. You have time. Draw or paint a picture. The next time a friend or family member tells you they like a painting or t-shirt that is a simple design. Get the materials to make it and give it a shot. My walls are festooned with creations from makers I have known for years. Every morning an eagle swoops down on me in bed. Identify what your talent is and create something.

Buy early. Christmas is coming. It will be the same day as it has for over two thousand years. Buy now. Do not wait. I like to save money as well. This is not the year to pass what you want or need because it may be cheaper tomorrow.

Do not create shortages where they are not needed. Did you know that much of the toilet paper and paper towels used in this country are produced in this country? Remember the TP shortage during the COVID pandemic? That was due to shipping problems because there was a truck driver shortage.

Reduce, reuse, recycle. That was popular in the 1970s. Bring it back. Don’t buy things you do not need. Need another piece of furniture? Repurpose something you already have. When I say recycling, I mean give or sell things that are perfectly good to someone else. We have been selling and donating items we have stored for years. We need the room. We do not need the stuff.

Buy items coming in from nontariff Countries. Forget Canada, Mexico, and China or any other country that haven’t kissed the ring. Freight comes in from north, south, west and east. Now is the time to limit ourselves.

There are probably other ways you can think of to save stress over this increase in prices. I won’t call it inflation because certain people don’t want anyone to use that word. I would love to hear your comments. You might be the person who has a better idea than all of us talking heads. Or in some cases the other end of the donkey.

MONDAY, MONDAY

August 2, 2025

Remember in high school how you could not wait to get to school on Monday each week and see the friends that you did not hang out with on the weekend? You didn’t? That seems odd. I was going to relate that experience to how you look forward to working every Monday morning.

You say you do not look forward to Monday mornings? That seems odd, also. The Apostle Paul tells us that we are to do our work as if it were done for Jesus. If you were working for Jesus, you would be chomping at the bit for Monday, wouldn’t you? While our fellow workers are praising God for Friday, shouldn’t we praise Him for Monday and the opportunity to earn our own living?

Most think there is something wrong with “TGIM”. The universe began on Monday morning. According to the Western point of view, the first full day after Jesus’ resurrection was Monday. Since work should be looked on by the Christian as a blessing, shouldn’t the beginning of the work week be a blessing also?

I’m talking about craziness. No one likes Mondays, and they never will. While unemployed, I dreaded the work week. Others returned to the job. Thousands like me joined the unemployment lines. We went to our computers and looked for work. In today’s modern society, the line is online. Most companies do not accept applications in person anymore. When you go to Wal-Mart to apply for a job, you are directed to an in-store computer where you can fill out the employment application.

The hardest job I have ever had was searching for employment. The agencies had my number. I received a few calls from them. Mostly, I received rejections from everyone. My twenty-five years in sales and customer service aided somewhat in keeping me from being overly depressed. Almost three years without regular work does take its toll.

These are the things I thought about this Monday. TGIM, thank God it is Monday and there is work to be done. My work now is writing. This is also my continuing ministry. I spent over forty years as a workplace minister until there was no workplace to minister in.

When I worked at Positronic Industries, that was my ideal job. I began as a buyer in the purchasing department and became a purchasing supervisor three months later. I was excited to go to work every day. Turn your work life over to Jesus and let Him become your boss.

The job I retired from was not as easy to handle as Positronic. There was stress from a boss who did not want me to make any of my own decisions. Everything had to be done the way he wanted it, and he did not understand when delivery dates or truck pickup times did not fit his schedule.

I kept telling myself that I was working for Jesus and not him. I made it through every day because I wasn’t trying to please anyone but my Lord. That worked for me. I hope it will work for you as well.

NO ONE CAN TEACH YOU WHAT YOU DO NOT WISH TO LEARN

July 1, 2025

It seems like an easily determined idea, doesn’t it? Parents, teachers, and employers all fail to recognize this one fact. A father or mother attempts to teach a child how to use a spoon, a fork, or the potty chair before they want to. And it is always a struggle. I know. We tried that with Heather.

She would sit on the pot and not do anything. Then she decided she wanted to use the chair because she was tired of diapers. Why do training diapers help so many kids? They don’t want to lose the security of the protection from accidents, but they want freedom in the bathroom. They also wish for Mom and Dad’s approval.

Effective teachers find ways to encourage their students to learn, but may use games, toys or other activities that catch the attention and are interesting. This type of learning must be customized for every student. If you are fortunate, more than one person is captured by the same activity. Others require a different approach. Learning centers in classrooms take advantage of this principle.

Although I have never carried the title of “trainer” as a supervisor, manager, or an employee hoping to help someone else get ahead, I have trained hundreds of people in dozens of areas. Often, the lessons I taught to others were taught the hard way by trial and error for me. The desire to make learning easier for someone else makes me want to discover how to help them catch what I am throwing at them. This is how it should be done in the workplace.

The truth is that many are afraid to instruct others in what they know. They believe their job security depends on no one else knowing as much about their job.

On other occasions, we want to pass on knowledge, but do not know how because our school was hard knocks. We learned by doing and believe others will also. On-the-job training is good, but why shouldn’t those with more experience guide the newbies? Show them the things you tried first that did not work. Tell them why you do it the way you do and all the other methods that are not as good. These stop wasting time and effort.

If they listen. That leads us back to the title of this article. No one can teach you what you do not wish to learn. If you are stubborn and will not take instruction, you are doomed to repeat other mistakes and be thought less of.

When your trainer takes the time to show you their errors, you don’t have to repeat them. Hopefully, you will not be greeted with the worst of all educational philosophies, “Because I said so.”

It is time to take your company to the 21st century. Write a procedures manual that includes every process in your business. This is one of the requirements for all major companies. Certifications that multinational companies must maintain to bid on government contracts require this manual. Start with this item and see where it takes you.

Charles (Chuck) Kensinger

Walk With a Servant

Category: Business Strategies