August 8, 2013. This is a day that may change the course of business for the Rainy Days Caffe in Lake Stevens, Washington.
Apparently the owners or staff, irritated with crumbs left on the floor from 2 children eating scones, captured the scene and uploaded the photo to their Facebook page, which have since been removed. The backlash, however, has become viral, with many negative comments on their Facebook page, and people giving them reviews online from near and far. Some even praise the cafe for trying to have a quiet place for coffee and a snack, without a side of unruly children.
The gist of the story really isn’t about whether children left some crumbs or a lot of crumbs on the floor. Frankly, most adults eating a scone are likely to leave a few crumbs behind. The real issue is this: just because you CAN say something in today’s electronic world, doesn’t mean you should. Period.
If you’re in business, whether it’s retail or service, your customer is your livelihood. Posting something on social media that in ANY way denigrates your customer is just plain foolhardy. Be fun, be encouraging, be informative. But don’t let the pitfalls of frustration become words on your wall.