Is it good to be penniless?
I don’t know if Martha Stewart still uses the catch phrase ‘It’s a Good Thing’ and God knows she’s certainly not penniless…but believe it or not, sometimes it really is a good thing to be penniless…
Let me explain…
I just came from ‘The Buzz’ – a local coffee house here in Nanaimo. They’ve taken the bold step of including all taxes in their pricing so that your order always rounds out to the nearest 25 cents. In other words, you never have to pay $5.17 for your mocha latte and cranberry scone.
You will pay $5.25.
Your morning cuppa Joe comes in at $2.00 or $2.50 – no fumbling for loose change, thank you very much. Quarters or loonies in, quarters or loonies back (Another happy accident from this policy is that there will never be another band named Nickelback*)
The taxman is happy, the customer is happy and the staff are happy too. (This seems to be a global affliction at The Buzz).
The Cent of Money
Yes, yes, The Buzz will still accept your pennies, but their policy is not about nickeling and diming you. According to the manager Andrew Harwood, life at the till is now much simpler both for customer and staff. Customers spend just a little less time at the till and a little more time enjoying what they came in for in the first place – coffee (Mmmmm….coffee!)
So what’s the big buzz about phasing out the use of pennies? Well, it’s an idea that’s been talked about for years – kinda like the paperless office. Only this time, the goal is actually achievable. It’s a small step, yes, but as long as it’s a step in the direction of improved customer service, I’m all over it like brown on a coffee bean.
(*yes, I dislike the band Nickelback – there I said it. And if there’s a band out there now thinking about the name Quarterback as a result of this blog post, then my work has not been in vain!).
Send @donpower a virtual cup of coffee
Photo credit: mrsmagic
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
That is a great idea that really is a win win situation! and I am glad that the BUZZ cares enough about its customers to make things easier for them. We spend a lot of time there meeting with clients and rally enjoy the location and the positive atmosphere and attitude.
I noticed that all the staff were pleasant and smiling a lot so they’re definitely doin’ somethin’ right at The Buzz! The coffee was great too – by the way!