The Dead: A Case in Point
Walk into The Chatterbox, a coffee shop in Westville, KZN, South Africa (now you know exactly where it is!). Only having about 30 minutes, I order a muffin and coffee. Settle back and switch on my laptop. Damn… need power but no problem, my table has a plug point right next to it. Plug in and get to work. “Sorry Sir” the polite waitress says…
“you have to make a minimum order of R29 if you wish to use the plug point”. I find out the owner has made the rule, but when I offer to phone the owner am told that they cannot give out her number. Fair enough.
Anyway, long story short. I explain why the rule is simply idiotic even though I can understand the sentiment behind it (people who ‘power up’ and then spend all day there over a single cup of coffee). These places rely on quick turn-over, but being aware of this I would be sensitive to the situation. At this point, however, I am the only person in the establishment.
Starbucks actually encourage students to frequent their establishment and hang-out there doing work!
The Chatterbox: another example of people who simply don’t ‘get it’ in today’s Connection Economy. Let me say this though, the waitress who I dealt with was polite and clearly she had been put in a riduculous situation by someone who makes the rules but doesn’t understand the consequence of her rule-making.
Related posts:
- Affirmitive Action is Dead in South Africa – or is it? Sipho Ngcobo wrote an interesting article on Money Web this...
- VWV Red Plug on Generation 2.0 VWV is an interesting company, that I still don’t know...
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
Great story Keith. Did you ever work out how they got to R29 minimum spend?
That reasoning is beyond me but maybe is worth finding out! For the record…the owner has never contacted me in spite of me leaving my number requesting she do so.