It has just enough hustle and bustle to be interesting but not overwhelming, and it's a nice place to sit and think in between meetings and appointments.
As I picked up my coffee I noticed a sign that said I could take home a bag now! There was another sign letting me know I could buy whole bean or have it ground and bagged. Interesting flavored options like blueberry and pumpkin, and I thought it would nice to buy local to support our community. The one thing I couldn't find was a price.
A barista noticed me looking around and asked if she could help. She didn't know the prices, and asked the manager (owner?). He said prices weren't posted because all of the coffees are priced differently. I explained that made sense, and then said I was looking for the prices of the different coffees. Without getting up, he offered a ballpark number, and said that a pound of coffee costs more than a half pound. I'm not terribly sensitive to the price of coffee and probably would have paid whatever the price was - but I always like to know what I'm paying. I was ready to make a buying decision, but it was getting to be too much effort for me to learn the price of a pound or two of coffee. Another coffee shop is 1/4 mile away, and has prices on the beans.
Instead of making a decision about which coffees I would buy, I made a decision to buy coffee elsewhere where I could get the information I need.
For the store to successfully sell me a bag of coffee, I would need to pass through several decision points:
- To drink coffee
- To drink coffee this morning
- To drink coffee this morning at this store
- To drink coffee this morning at this store and buy coffee to drink at home
- To drink coffee this morning at this store and buy coffee to drink at home and select a particular flavor
The store choice was based on past experiences. I've been in this store before, and I frequently see someone I know. Today was no exception, so there is a social component to this as well. I drove past another coffee store that was directly beside my next appointment to come to this one.
I purchased my brewed coffee for the day, and the display was intriguing enough that I was no longer considering if I would buy coffee to drink at home, but instead which coffee I would buy. The store had me almost there!
And then two things happened: the normal information I would want for any transaction was not made available to me; and I was a little insulted by the manager's approach. To be clear, I first asked the barista, who referred me to the nearby manager. I asked once, and the manager told me the prices varied based on the particular bean I would want to buy. I asked again, and the manager told me that a pound costs more than a half pound. Please note: I am holding the two pounds of coffee in my hand, standing by his cash register, drinking a brewed cup of his coffee. I wondered why an establishment would not simply tell me the prices if I were already willing to buy and already drinking a cup of their coffee in the store. Could it be, maybe, dressed in my suit and tie, I was the type of riffraff he wanted to keep out of the store? Secondly, I didn't need someone to tell me a pound is more expensive than a half pound; to wit, the sky is blue and it's wet when it rains. The manager made it clear that he didn't want to sell me coffee to drink at home, so I obliged by leaving and making my purchase elsewhere. No scene, just an "okay, thanks" to the manager and I left.
When working with clients, business partners, and employees, consider all of the decision points for that particular client to make the decision you would like him or her to make. There are always multiple points, whether closing a large Fortune 10 client or selling a pound or two of coffee to a regular customer. Taking steps for granted or making the transaction more challenging may cost a sale, a business relationship, or more.
Best,
Bryan
I purchased my brewed coffee for the day, and the display was intriguing enough that I was no longer considering if I would buy coffee to drink at home, but instead which coffee I would buy. The store had me almost there!
And then two things happened: the normal information I would want for any transaction was not made available to me; and I was a little insulted by the manager's approach. To be clear, I first asked the barista, who referred me to the nearby manager. I asked once, and the manager told me the prices varied based on the particular bean I would want to buy. I asked again, and the manager told me that a pound costs more than a half pound. Please note: I am holding the two pounds of coffee in my hand, standing by his cash register, drinking a brewed cup of his coffee. I wondered why an establishment would not simply tell me the prices if I were already willing to buy and already drinking a cup of their coffee in the store. Could it be, maybe, dressed in my suit and tie, I was the type of riffraff he wanted to keep out of the store? Secondly, I didn't need someone to tell me a pound is more expensive than a half pound; to wit, the sky is blue and it's wet when it rains. The manager made it clear that he didn't want to sell me coffee to drink at home, so I obliged by leaving and making my purchase elsewhere. No scene, just an "okay, thanks" to the manager and I left.
When working with clients, business partners, and employees, consider all of the decision points for that particular client to make the decision you would like him or her to make. There are always multiple points, whether closing a large Fortune 10 client or selling a pound or two of coffee to a regular customer. Taking steps for granted or making the transaction more challenging may cost a sale, a business relationship, or more.
Best,
Bryan
Ugh...makes you want to ask if the coffee shop is a front for something other than coffee.
ReplyDeleteI understand your frustration. In the end, the marketplace will take care of businesses that make purchases difficult. But maybe the manager was just having a bad day. Maybe the next time you stop for coffee, there will be a sign with all the coffees and the prices.
ReplyDeleteGreat points, thanks! I'm hopeful the manager was just having a bad day and a single experience. It does make for a decent illustration of the risks to the sale throughout the buying decision. Competition is increasing around this shop: a national coffee chain is opening nearby, and quick service restaurants continue to improve the quality and experience of the coffee purchase. I'll visit this shop again, and if the prices aren't posted will be sure to suggest it. Between you and me, I really want to try that blueberry-flavored coffee. :)
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