Business or service

By Rennie Phillips

Marge and I stopped at an eatery the other day in Sikeston and had a sundae, and I had me some French fries. Love French fries with ice cream. Anyway we took our number and went and found a seat and it was a few minutes when one of those who worked there brought our sundaes and French fries. They dropped it off without a comment or anything. No interaction and no feeling.

One other day we stopped at another eatery but not in Sikeston and had a full-blown meal. They were super busy, so we had to wait for our drinks and then for our food. It took a while, but it was no big deal. None of us was put out by the wait. Our waitress worked her tail off bringing us drinks and apologizing and even visiting with us. Marge commented on the way home that our waitress was her favorite one where we had eaten.

Now granted in the one eatery we were strangers and nobody probably tipped. At the other eatery we are regulars and we usually tip the waitress. But at the one, it was as if the waitress was bringing us food as if it was a business. In the past we would go by for ice cream a couple times a month, but hadn't for years. But at the other, it was a service if you will. She was making sure we were treated right so that we'd return.

Good food will bring back a customer, but so will good service. If either of these is lacking it can spell doom for repeat customers. It's been a while ago I went to a box store for some pipe. Normally, I try to buy what I can at a family-owned store, but this was a case where this was my only option. I absolutely never got waited on. I even went and found the one who was in charge of this area, and he wasn't interested. Good product but poor service has kept me from shopping there.

I've heard a commercial on TV where this rich entrepreneur states that he invests in his employees who will then take care of his customers. He is more concerned about his employees than the customers. He might be right. One class I took in seminary was about Fortune 500 companies and how they grew and were successful. One statement that stood out to me was it's cheaper to keep a current customer then find a new one. So the goal is to provide good service and a good product and have repeat customers.

And this is true regardless of the company or the business. When I order seeds online I'm looking for quality seeds, an easy-to-use website, on-time shipping and a reasonable price. Of these four requirements the quality of the seed is most important. The seeds need to have a high percentage of germination and they need to be true to their description. I have gotten seeds that had a germination rate of say 70%, which means out of 30 seeds 9 of the seeds will be duds and not germinate. Most of the time the seeds I order have a 95% germination rate or better. That is top notch seeds. I've also gotten seeds that ended up producing veggies that weren't anything like they were supposed to. I want a good product but good service as well, and with all honesty, I'm willing to pay for it.

But this is true whether you are buying a car or a house, a loaf of bread, a doughnut, a cup of coffee, a pair of shoes or even a quick meal at a drive-through restaurant. For going on 20 years now I've been buying green coffee beans and roasting them. My brother Mick got me started, and I don't have a clue how he got started. So for a long time I buy green beans from all over the world from countries like Ethiopia or Kenya or Colombia or Peru or Costa Rica. I then roast them and grind the roasted coffee and make coffee. This makes for a real fresh cup of coffee.

I drink other coffee now and then. I go to a church breakfast every month and I believe they use Folgers. Also get a senior cup now and then from one of the fast food joints. We stopped at a convenience store on our way home from taking a steer to Pocahontas and I got a coffee. The coffee is OK, not the best, but OK.

But I also stop at specialty coffee shops when I can and buy a pour over coffee. A pour over coffee is made by taking a cone funnel with a small hole in the bottom, putting a cone paper filter in it and adding fresh roasted ground coffee and then pouring 200 degree water over the ground coffee. The coffee is noticeably better by making it this way. When the barista at the coffee shop is making my coffee they are just making my coffee. They are not making a gallon of coffee for who knows how many customers. This is my coffee. I like to watch as they build my cup of coffee.

I'm getting a great product and top notch service at a reasonable price. Would I pay more simply because of the product and the service? Most definitely.

Since I don't know when individuals and groups have complained that they aren't getting a decent wage. They want a raise. Some complain because what they grow or raise isn't bringing in enough money. They want better prices. Since cars were starting to get built manufacturers have claimed their vehicles are better than the rest and worth the extra money. This is true even when I buy seeds. One write up will claim their veggie is bigger and tastier and more disease resistant.

The point I'm making is even in our hurry-up, get-it-quick world there is still a place for quality products and top notch service and a friendly staff, and this is true at fast food joints or coffee shops or car dealerships or in leadership roles.