For the longest time when I started working at my current job, I would stop in the morning at a corner store here. Every morning. I was drinking that Monster energy drink daily at the time and stopped to get it there each day. When I broke the habit of drinking those, I started getting grief from the store owner because I wasn’t coming in as often. His usual, “See you tomorrow!” became, “wrong time! wrong time! we don’t see you in the morning no more?” and so on…
At first I took it with a smile, thought it was nice that he was so friendly, yada yada. But then one day it struck me that I didn’t owe him my business and it started getting on my nerves. It’s one thing to be friendly but it’s a whole different thing to be annoying and act like someone should be patronizing your business every day.
I got so annoyed with it that I hardly go anymore. I stopped in this morning because I needed a drink for later in the day and he was polite and asked after my family. Nice, but I think fortunately and finally I’ve fallen into the different category of shopper. The occasional shopper. He did ask me if I drink coffee and I said no (one of his tactics to try to get me there each day, for free coffee).
I do drink coffee, but I don’t want it from his store because I don’t know how fresh it is. The coffee I have at work I make, so I know how fresh it is, and it’s how I like it, and it’s also free.
Have you ever decided to stop shopping somewhere because of something the staff has done?
Yes, actually we have a little cafe convenience store in the office building I work in. The clerk is friendly and likes to speak with her patrons. A lot of folks in the office were starting a weight loss contest and I had asked if she could start stocking some healthier, low calorie items she quickly said no she would have to mark them up too much to make a profit. I understand business and respected her answer but I also valued my dollar more so I purchase my own lean cuisines and keep them in an under desk freezer in my office.
Well I go up to here shop for a water or snack and now she barely speaks to me so I won’y shop her store anymore.
I am not obligated to her and her customer base is limited to only those of us in the office building so she should have found a way to accommodate our needs.
Debo Hobos last blog post..Banter of a Disillusioned Cowboy Fan-Video
That sucks, smart business people know how to accommodate their customers, and do so willingly, I bet she feels stupid now!