I Prefer the Coffee at the Other Place

Welcome to the 147th edition of “InTouch”. As always, I would love to continue the conversation so please hit reply and let me know what you think.

Story of the Week: “I Prefer the Coffee at the Other Place”

The week of 15 August is always a slow period in Athens. The city empties, many businesses close for the holidays and finding somewhere open early in the morning is not always guaranteed. I happened to be there on 17 August so, at 7:45 am, I decided to check if two of my favourite cafés were open before leaving home.

I first called the café I had planned to go to, but the line was busy. I tried again a few minutes later and it was still busy, so I called the other one. The person who answered replied immediately and with great enthusiasm: “Of course we are open! Come and join us! We would love to have you.” I could hear the smile in her voice. She sounded genuinely happy that someone was thinking of visiting them and her energy was infectious.

I then tried my first choice again and this time someone answered. When I asked if they were open, there was some hesitation before the person there told me that they were closed at that moment but would be opening “in a while.” Her tone almost made me feel as though I had called at the wrong time. In terms of energy, warmth and enthusiasm, she was at the other end of the scale.

So, I went to my second choice, Me Kolonaki.

When I arrived, I asked who had answered the phone earlier. I wanted to meet the person whose attitude had changed my decision that morning. Her name was Dimitra Stamelou. I told her what had happened and gave her a copy of my book, Positive Impact, as a small gift. It seemed fitting because, without knowing it, she had already made a positive impact on me.

As I write this, I am sitting at Me Kolonaki for the second morning in a row. The interesting part of all this is that, if you asked me which of the two cafés makes the best coffee, I would still choose the other one. Yes, I prefer the coffee at the other place – but I’m here instead.

Organisations spend a great deal of time and money trying to understand why customers choose them and, more importantly, why they come back. They may be surprised to discover that the reason isn’t always about the product.

Sometimes, it’s Dimitra.

Words of Wisdom

“In the long run, your business and its future are in the hands of the people you hire.” Sony cofounder Akio Morita

A Question to Ponder, dear friend.

Is there a place you keep going back to because of the people, even though somewhere else may have a better product?