The Boiler Room Cafe Minneapolis: Expensive and Burned Coffee, Rude Service
I haven't fully spoken my peace over the incident at the Boiler Room Cafe in Minneapolis this morning. I work in the service industry. I help paying customers for a living. So I know how to treat them. One thing you should never do is swear at them or tell them to go elsewhere, because customers owe you nothing.
You might think you've got them right where you want them--they already payed, right? So why treat them well? That seems to be the attitude. The fact of the matter is that you work for them. Without the customers, you don't have a business. That doesn't mean you need to put up with abuse from customers, but it does mean that there are appropriate ways to deal with potential conflicts.
People don't go to coffee shops for the coffee. I know that sounds strange, but the fact of the matter is that coffee is cheap and people can just stay home if they want a good cup of coffee. I certainly would never go to a coffee shop if I wanted a reliably high-quality cup. I can roast my own beans at home in my popcorn popper and have the best light roast in the state in 20 minutes if I really want to. No, there are two things that people purchase from coffee shops.
- Proximity (it's a close and convenient place to get out and have a drink)
- Atmosphere
- Friendly Service
The first item--proximity--has the weakest claim to our patronage. Coffee shops are a dime a dozen, especially in a city like Minneapolis. The second and third items in the list make up the bulk of the reason people go to coffee shops. If you have bad or uncomfortable atmosphere it cancels out the motivation to leave the home in the first place. If you have rude customer service on top of it, don't plan on being in business for too long.
Cafes provide a service--not a product. People who don't like to provide good service should choose a different career path. The Boiler Room Cafe has terrible and hostile service, which defeats the point of going out for coffee instead of enjoying a better cup at home. I'd rather see a Dunn Brothers in the neighborhood--they have better coffee and they know how to treat customers.