As a Portlander, I admit that I have bias towards small independent coffee stores vs. the big chain operations. Yet, Starbucks continues to impress me. Yesterday, I went into my local Starbucks on Fremont Street, and the friendliness of the workers far outshone the grumpiness I've experienced at some locally-owned shops.
The barista screwed up my order twice. First, she fessed up to not making my coffees extra hot as requested. And, made me two new cups. When I asked which one was decaf and which one was regular, she told me that they were both decaf. She offered to correct this error but I told her that I didn't have time to wait. She cheerily handed me a coupon for a free drink of my choice at any Starbucks. How can you stay mad at a business when they do something like this?
In contrast, I just read that a Portland restaurant named Bold Sky recently closed, and its poor record of correcting mistakes was likely one of the biggest reasons for the closure. Their food was mediocre at best, and their bad service was the only thing that left a lasting memory. Bold Sky served flat beers to my wife and me on a recent visit. When we complained, they didn't offer to exchange the beers. They simple said that the brand of beer we ordered (Stella Artois) "always tastes flat." Having enjoyed bubbly versions of this beer many times, I couldn't believe their chutzpah in making this claim. Needless to say, we never went back to Bold Sky and told our friends to avoid the place. I guess we weren't alone.
It's not making a mistake that kills a business. Rather, the inability to correct a mistake is often the nail in the heart.
Comments