Oct 6, 2011 EXTRA EXTRA! Get something extra! (But you will have to pay for it... )
Here’s the scenario…
I have been a loyal, passionate and forever grateful customer of a sushi cafe since its opening a few years ago. Add this to the undying feeling that I, personally, contributed greatly to its quick expansion from a small, dingy cafe to a sparkly three-shop business enterprise in only a few years through consistent patronage and being an inside champion - converting sushi lovers and even mere likers to this particular sushi shop’s greatness.
Alas… this relationship is no longer existing... as my latest experience will no doubt be my last. Due to a common mistake many businesses make when they forget about the customer and view them with dollar signs above their heads.
Here’s the problem…
As I have come to expect is the uuuuus, (Aussie slang meaning ‘usual’), when one orders sushi, you receive COMPLIMENTARY soy sauce, ginger and (for those exotic types), wasabi paste to enjoy your sushi in the more “traditional” way, (it also tastes AMAZING!) Over the years, I have tried to go with tradition and slowly began to love my tasty morsels with all three amazingly flavour-adding condiments, and more so, expect their presence next to my rolls each and every visit. Key word here – EXPECT.
Here’s the clincher…
On my latest venture to my Japanese sanctuary, I was briskly told that no longer could I relish in the ginger, soy and wasabi dream team – I had to choose only one, and pay 20c each for any extra or addition of the other two. WHAT! That’s like making me choose between my three children…
Here are two reasons why this experience is not only bad sense, but is also bad for business.
1. Building and fostering an expectation, only to then backtrack. Loyal customers don’t generally like change that negatively impacts them. If the extra pay for condiment rule had been the norm from the start I don’t think I would have an issue, however the sushi cafe had ALWAYS offered all three, so to turn around and change this made the experience… well… shimata, (Japanese for… you can probably guess).
2. The word “extra” when used in conjunction with money never sits well, regardless of the amount. Being asked to pay extra for condiments I used to always just generally pisses me off.
It begs the question “where does it stop?” Will restaurants start charging patrons for using cutlery? To use the bathroom? To sit at a table?!
Here’s the lesson…
Businesses (and not just hospitality-specific), need to place more emphasis on the EXPERIENCE of the customer, and less on making the extra buck here and there.
The condiments are there to make my meal more enjoyable… and a cafe or restaurant I would think should do all that it can to make my meal and overall experience as enjoyable as possible, else what are they doing there?
It comes back to the business forgetting to view the customer as real, with real expectations, needs and wants. You start viewing your customers with dollar signs above their heads, with your business decisions beginning to revolve around money alone… (insert warning bells).
Unfortunately, I no longer feel any need to frequent the sushi cafe anymore…
That 40c suddenly has a much greater cost… the cost of a loyal customer GONE.
Reader Comments (4)
What an amazingly stupid move on the part of the business owner. As he attempts to "monetize" his condiments, and business slows because of if, he will begin to think that he should advertise more. Hehehehe. Idiocy.
As we like to ask our clients, "Are people not doing business with you because they DON'T know about you, or are they not doing business with you because they DO know about you?"
A move from neutrality to stinginess is a very bad move indeed.
To add further proof to the detriment of "extra" (as opposed to the monetary value of that extra) I have since defected to the competition that charges $1 more for their rolls, but I have the freedom to enjoy as much soy, wasabi and ginger as I like :)
Hi Sarah, I didn't know that you had three children? Bert
Three children hypothetically speaking :)