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The difference is being the customer vs being the service provider. As the customer I have options, I can go elsewhere. I pay for food service because I get s

by jsonmez 14y ago

The difference is being the customer vs being the service provider. As the customer I have options, I can go elsewhere. I pay for food service because I get service, I can get food anywhere. When I stop getting service, I stop paying. Do I really care about the $10? No, but it makes a great point for a blog post.

vacri 14y ago
I don't care about the food or the service in your story, it's irrelevant to my point. I care about you having different standards for the two parties. Standing on principle over a measly $1.25 is 'single-transactioning'. If you were really concerned about your lifetime transactions, you'd take the blip and keep on running. You've already said that the eatery has 'high quality food and higher quality service', so it's clear that this behaviour is not the norm. So what you're saying here is that at the sign of the first mis-step, you're out the door? That means you see it as a series of single transactions.
- jsonmez 14y ago
  Actually, I had said it was around a $10 transaction, which I agree is also not important. But what is very important to me is that on my relaxation time (which I have so little of, hence the value)-- I am surrounded by the atmosphere that gives me peace and makes me feel good. That is the point of going to a nice little cafe with my family. This cafe has a history of bad reviews which parallel my experience and I rather go to a place I feel valued at. So, I am actually looking at things in the bigger scope. I have enough information to know that I don't want to pay money to be mistreated. I don't see that as a double standard in any way. I do understand your point though and I still think it is a good point, just not in this particular situation, because of the circumstances. In a 100 other circumstances, I would agree with you 100%. If that makes me a hypocrite in your eyes, then so be it. I didn't even want to make as big of a deal as it as it is. It didn't ruin my day by any means... Just wanted to use it as a point for this post.
  - paulsutter 14y ago
    Funny, I thought we were talking about karma. You're right, you don't owe her anything. Or yourself. Just stay home with clenched fists and stay angry about it. Be sure to have some aspirin handy in case you have a heart attack. Call me crazy, but just for fun, you could try a mental experiment: imagine for a moment that she is in fact a deeply wise and loving person, and she was at that time doing just the right thing to teach you perfect patience. Just saying, neither you nor me can prove it true or false. Just saying, you know, it's a way to look at it. By the way, that's a gorgeous picture on your blog. Makes me want to go travel.
    - Dylan16807 14y ago
      What is your point? You're basically making a counterargument of "you shouldn't care", and then throwing in a nonsense scenario with a taunting "can't prove me wrong". Your post bothers me. You're setting yourself up as the 'better man' and making it so you can mockingly dismiss anyone that disagrees with you.
      - paulsutter 14y ago
        My post was certainly badly worded. So I'll make my point more directly. Studies have shown that the most difficult customers are often the least profitable. It's pretty widely known. Seth Godin: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2010/02/more-more-more.html http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2010/02/more-more-mo... Entrepreneur magazine: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/173108 http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/173108 How often have you seen the owner of a well-managed business say "I'm done with this guy" after only one incident? I admire this woman. She not only provides a quality product with good customer service, she knows when to cut her losses.
        ctide 14y ago
        Unless there's some caveat that says 'if you got a discounted meal on the same receipt as a fully paid for meal then this specific receipt doesn't count towards the 8 receipts' then I don't really see how he's 'being difficult.' Don't advertise something you don't plan on honoring, and you don't have 'difficult customers.'
- jsonmez 14y ago
  Sorry, didn't address this either, but I think it should be. You are right I have two different standards for two parties. People pay money to be served in the service industry. Service is everything. There is definitely a different standard for a customer and a service provider.

by jsonmez 14y ago

vacri 14y ago

I don't care about the food or the service in your story, it's irrelevant to my point. I care about you having different standards for the two parties. Standing on principle over a measly $1.25 is 'single-transactioning'. If you were really concerned about your lifetime transactions, you'd take the blip and keep on running. You've already said that the eatery has 'high quality food and higher quality service', so it's clear that this behaviour is not the norm. So what you're saying here is that at the sign of the first mis-step, you're out the door? That means you see it as a series of single transactions.

jsonmez 14y ago
Actually, I had said it was around a $10 transaction, which I agree is also not important. But what is very important to me is that on my relaxation time (which I have so little of, hence the value)-- I am surrounded by the atmosphere that gives me peace and makes me feel good. That is the point of going to a nice little cafe with my family. This cafe has a history of bad reviews which parallel my experience and I rather go to a place I feel valued at. So, I am actually looking at things in the bigger scope. I have enough information to know that I don't want to pay money to be mistreated. I don't see that as a double standard in any way. I do understand your point though and I still think it is a good point, just not in this particular situation, because of the circumstances. In a 100 other circumstances, I would agree with you 100%. If that makes me a hypocrite in your eyes, then so be it. I didn't even want to make as big of a deal as it as it is. It didn't ruin my day by any means... Just wanted to use it as a point for this post.
- paulsutter 14y ago
  Funny, I thought we were talking about karma. You're right, you don't owe her anything. Or yourself. Just stay home with clenched fists and stay angry about it. Be sure to have some aspirin handy in case you have a heart attack. Call me crazy, but just for fun, you could try a mental experiment: imagine for a moment that she is in fact a deeply wise and loving person, and she was at that time doing just the right thing to teach you perfect patience. Just saying, neither you nor me can prove it true or false. Just saying, you know, it's a way to look at it. By the way, that's a gorgeous picture on your blog. Makes me want to go travel.
  - Dylan16807 14y ago
    What is your point? You're basically making a counterargument of "you shouldn't care", and then throwing in a nonsense scenario with a taunting "can't prove me wrong". Your post bothers me. You're setting yourself up as the 'better man' and making it so you can mockingly dismiss anyone that disagrees with you.
    - paulsutter 14y ago
      My post was certainly badly worded. So I'll make my point more directly. Studies have shown that the most difficult customers are often the least profitable. It's pretty widely known. Seth Godin: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2010/02/more-more-more.html http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2010/02/more-more-mo... Entrepreneur magazine: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/173108 http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/173108 How often have you seen the owner of a well-managed business say "I'm done with this guy" after only one incident? I admire this woman. She not only provides a quality product with good customer service, she knows when to cut her losses.
      - ctide 14y ago
        Unless there's some caveat that says 'if you got a discounted meal on the same receipt as a fully paid for meal then this specific receipt doesn't count towards the 8 receipts' then I don't really see how he's 'being difficult.' Don't advertise something you don't plan on honoring, and you don't have 'difficult customers.'
jsonmez 14y ago
Sorry, didn't address this either, but I think it should be. You are right I have two different standards for two parties. People pay money to be served in the service industry. Service is everything. There is definitely a different standard for a customer and a service provider.