Monday 17 May 2010

How not to buy coffee over the weekend

Welcome to another working week LV readers.

This morning you'll find two new members on the blog in the post immediately below this one. Both new types of business to Localventure. One an on-line shoe retailer and the other a business specialising in organising tours of UK universities.

Already this morning I've sent out an e-mail shot to businesses in Chesterfield so 'hi' if you're reading this as a result.

Wanted to mention a quick story as well. I was out on business early yesterday morning and needed some petrol - I stopped at my local petrol station at 7.25am and was refused service because they didn't open until 7.30am - this was despite the attendant being in the shop, pumps all on etc. Slightly later the same morning I needed a coffee to jump start the old neurons. So I stopped at a motorway service station and went in to the coffee area. It was around 7.55am but the lights were all on, sandwiches, muffins, soft drinks etc. all out on the counter and the 'barrista' was stood behind the (switched on) cash till. However, it seems that they too have an opening time 'rule' which cannot be fractured or even bent.

Two things strike me here, firstly if you don't really care about the customer or his experience of your brand then things like this happen and the customer takes his business elsewhere. Secondly, both the outlets in question were 'national brands'. I won't name and shame the offending businesses except to say that there are a few MOR RISONS why I won't be using that petrol station if I can help it and the coffee would have COST A me a fortune anyway.

The final upshot is that I don't need to get annoyed or upset with these outlets - there are lots of people around, offering the same services and they were quite glad to take my £ 70 spend yesterday morning. As a business today I really don't think you can afford to turn away paying customers for the sake of five minutes.

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