Bad problem, even worse response
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There is a coffee shop near me. I don’t drink coffee, to my jacked system it is like liquid heroin in a cup. Regardless, I had a business meeting there at 6:30 a.m. I knew they had broadband, so I brought my computer. It wouldn’t connect. I ask the guy behind the counter if he could help. His answer . . . “we don’t turn on the wireless until after 11:00.
What? This is a coffee shop and you don’t turn on the wireless network until after 11:00! I asked why? He said, “because too many people camp out and use it in the mornings. It was becoming like an office” So their response, just shut it off.
If they are successful, what will happen? Those people won’t show up anymore. That doesn’t seem like a sound plan to me. Give people a reason NOT to come in. What clown came up with that one?
Look, ya’ll your gonna have people that take advantage of you, but if you look at them as a nuisance your lookin’ at it the wrong way. Look for ways to engage these people even more. Be creative, look for ways to turn the tables and get them working for you. Not turning on the Internet is just plain lazy and stupid. They just didn’t want to try too hard. If these fools spent a few extra brain cells they could have come up with another response. But I guess that would have been just too hard. I bet they have too many other things to do, like serve coffee to those who don’t need the Internet in the a.m.
That’s not me, I won’t be back. But, I guess they don’t need me anyway.
Comments
So how do you REALLY feel about this place?
Comment from Carol on February 23, 2007, 2:53 am
On the flipside, I just read an article about the difficulties of running a coffee shop in a saturated market. One of the major outlined problems these shopkeepers face is people who buy one drink and sit for hours with their laptops. Supposedly that’s common across the board and I can see how that kind of customer turnover hurts business. However, I’ll agree with you that the answer is not to simply shut down the net. Problems arrive in business which is an opportunity for creative solutions, not turning them off and ignoring them.
Comment from Marilla P. Alligator on February 23, 2007, 9:25 am
I can hardly find a place to sit down in the coffee shop at the mall bookstore due to all the college kids with their laptops, so I just usually leave with my coffee and window shop.
But it’s CRAZY that you would deny a customer what he wants. Even if someone camps out all day long, I would think that they would, after awhile, get thirsty or hungry (I would). I would be all over those breakfast pastries and yummy soups and sandwiches and probably spend entirely too much money on drinks. But that’s just me. With too much pocket change.
Comment from Melissa R. Garrett on February 24, 2007, 7:32 am
Yes, seems very shortsighted. They have potential to offer promotions and get creative with how users use the internet.
Comment from Jackal on February 25, 2007, 2:10 am
Nice post!That is so true, and funny! They should try to find another solution for that problem… or not offer wireless connection at all!
I had worked in a coffe shop before, had my laptop, bought a coffee, but i staayed there like 45 minutes, and if i was going to stay there longer, i’d just buy another coffee (ok maybe not another coffee, let’s say green tea 
).
But one of the thing i realized is that working in a coffee shop is hard! 20-40 people are there talking (that’s a lot of noise, and after some time you’re just completely drained of energy), and you also have to buy that coffee, it’s more cost effective to work at home, and then go for a coffee with friends (without the laptop). But of course when you have a meeting or something and you have your laptop with you and you’re waiting, it would be nice to have that wwireless connection (or worst case you can write your new post in a text file, and log onto your wordpress and post it later on).
Nice blog you have! i’ll be surely reading more of it!
Comment from Jonathan-C. Phillips on February 25, 2007, 9:18 am
It’d be cool if they could offer some sort of e-coupon to entice customers that sit in the shops with laptops to purchase another coffee. I’m not sure how that would work so it wouldn’t be abused but they should harness the web to get people to buy more. Maybe it’s like 25 cents off a drink, once a visit on a second drink only. Something that won’t break the bank but attractive enough to customers. Hmmm…
Comment from Marilla P. Alligator on February 25, 2007, 9:25 am
Wouldn’t it make more sense for them to charge a small fee for access? In that situation, I bet the antman would have come up with a dollar or two to connect. I’ve not been to a coffee shop like that in to do work on my laptop in some time, but isn’t this the strategy Starbucks used?
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They simply cannot afford it. A single cup of coffee is usually a loss leader for a coffee shop. Someone sitting with a laptop, having a single cup and nothing else isn’t a customer you want since you lose money with them.
Comment from Brian Despain on February 27, 2007, 7:31 pm
You really think they should cater to the non coffee drinking occasional customer at the expense of the customers who are paying their bills? I’m with Brian. Every table every premium hour needs to bring in between ten and fifteen dollars - 2 people drinking coffee and eating snacks. If you bring your laptop and work alone for a couple hours, you probably spend 2 bucks. I need the $18 to $28 I would have made from that table. I can’t encourage you.
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