Last week a cyber battle broke out between what sounds to me like a hypersensitive haughty elitist ninny and a clueless rigid anal muttonhead. All of it over a cup of joe.The ninny is one Jeff Simmermon, a Brooklynite who was visiting the Washington DC area this past weekend. The muttonhead, Nicholas Cho, is the owner of a coffee shop in Arlington, VA.
Simmermon has a blog, And I Am Not Lying, Cho’s coffee place is Murky Coffee. His site is essentially a blog surrounded by store info. Decent idea. There’s another character here, Murky Coffee employee David Flynn, who must not be overlooked. He played a central role in the controversy.
So here’s what happened… Simmermon, in town for the weekend, wandered into Murky Coffee to order his drink of choice, a triple espresso over ice. Sounds reasonable.
But noooooo. Flynn told him that that wasn’t kosher, that it was against store policy to served iced espresso because it seemingly violates the integrity of the coffee. Baffled and a bit irked, Simmermon then ordered a triple espresso and a cup of ice on the side. Flynn served him this, but did it with disapproval, telling Simmermon that it really wasn’t OK.
WTF?
Okay, I fully understand how a company would want to maintain some sense of quality control over its products. But this is extremist. And employee shouldn’t chastise a customer over a simple preference. I’ve worked in coffee stores and as a waiter. Sometimes you get customers that are unreasonable. They’ll want to completely create a new entree or something ridiculous like that. Having an iced espresso doesn’t qualify for that.
Simmermon got pissed and argued back, saying that he’s got his own personal policy about having his coffee – something he’s paid for – the way he wants it.
But Simmermon didn’t stop there. He then apparently returned an hour later to ask for “your strongest iced beverage your policy would allow”. He got an Americano with four shots and light on water, which he enjoyed. And then left a dollar tip with the following note scrawled on it:
“FUCK YOU AND YOUR PRECIOUS COFFEE POLICY”
Now think about this. Simmermon actually planned to go back, to write a vicious note. He didn’t let it go, a shitty experience at a coffee place 200 miles from home. And then he went to his blog. This is how he started out his entry:
Maybe condescending service from a patronizing millenial at a DC coffee shop isn’t news to anyone else. But the only way I’m ever coming back to Murky Coffee in Arlington is if I’m carrying matches and a can of kerosene.
At some point you would have figured he’d let it go, but he obviously didn’t. no. He then goes on to give his side of the story.
Enter Nichoas Cho. Cho goes onto defend the policy and the attitude behind it. He then lists a series of rules he has for his store:
No modifications to the Classic Cappuccino. No questions will be answered about the $5 Hot Chocolate (during the months we offer it). No espresso in a to-go cup. No espresso over ice. These are our policies. We have our reasons, and we’re happy to share them.
WTF. No. No. No. No.
He also mentions, in retaliation to Simmermon’s tongue-in-cheek comment that he’d burn down the place by saying that he’d punch Simmermon “in the dick”.
Cho also defends the barista, saying that Flynn showed disapproval not at the fact that Simmermon was going to mix espresso and ice, but at the attitude – and the note on the dollar bill. That makes sense.
Two more points.
Simmermon admitted to acting like, well, “a dick”, but says he had just cause. Sorry, pal, but you were a dick, plain an simple.
And on Murky Coffee’s site it says, regarding the company and the owner, “…coffee is a people business…and he’s a people person.” Sorry, pal, but you really aren’t a people person if you have rules that prevent people from getting what they want to purchase. They’re paying for it.
But the real story here is that these two blogs that usually get less than then comments now have hundreds. Many of them, from what I’ve seen, quite negative. They’ve both gotten significant press – obviously not all of it good.
Morales of the story, in these days of a very active blogosphere, don’t be a dick and put your customers needs first.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Hmmm…honestly, Jon, I’m really not sure who the bigger dick-head is in this tete-a-tete…
When I read someone’s blog, and he/she talks about burning down a business over what seems to me to be a minor infraction, then discusses punching someone in the genitals, I am more inclined to not like–nor do business with–the guy who’s doing the complaining.
Now, if this is a person who makes their blogging reputation on being extremely nasty to others, including a kid who can’t change his store’s policy—well, having worked retail, where I couldn’t change store policy, I have more sympathy for the kid, then the “customer” whomay be making an unreasonable demand AND makes a reputation as being a surly and perhaps unreasonable individual…
The better thing for Simmermon to have done: left Murky and went to another coffee place. Then simply wrote about the absolutely wonderful triple espresso he had *somewhere else.* Why thrive on anger or intentionally try to hurt someone over something that has a very simple remedy.
I disagree. Nick’s is one of the only coffee shops that is willing to keep the quality and integrity of its coffee pure. His baristas win awards! And, since he is one of those purists, and since Murky Coffee is very open about its coffee purism — all the way back to the start of the company back when it was the size of a closet in Georgetown — this is part of the charm and the eccentricity of the place. If you want an iced espresso, go to Starbucks or some other place. If you want to pay with a card, go elsewhere, if you want an espresso, you’re going to be asked to take some time, drink it from a demitasse and not from a paper cup, and you will be asked for cash.
Go somewhere else!
The customer is always right until you’re the best, at which point, the customer is often wrong.
PS: I guarantee you that all of this results in more cred rather then less; I guarantee that this sort of extreme publicity will result in people taking pilgrimages to Murky Coffee. Too bad Nick sucks at paying taxes because I miss my Murky on Capitol Hill — and his policies were true there, too. Finally, I am pretty likely to want to punch Simmermon in the dick, too, if I ever get the chance.
A tempest in a teapot — or maybe a coffee cup is what this is about– except that 1) It’s been become a blizzard or a class 5 hurricane of bad feelings, ill will and unclear expectations.
Personally I like it when I go to Peets and when I order tea they actually serve it to me with a mug and a china pot and my own timer for perfecting my own brew.. however that was last year and I havent’ seen their current policies.
Given that this is a mom & pop operation– and not a chain– it’s up to the store owner to set the rules. Much like some delis will NOT serve you pastrami without it being on rye because it’s a signature sandwich or some similar thing, it’s about the customer and owner preference for a more *authentic -genuine- real deal* sort of experience.
While I understand that Simmermon might not have understand the policies of the place which should be PROMINENTLY displayed (try in the windows, on the door, at the order counter, he got his due when he left the bitchy note (and there’s a reason to use that word) at check out time.
Taking it to the blogosphere is a bit much– and Simmermon and Cho have a lot to learn about
1) general etiquette– read that as polite person to person behavior
2) how to do business in such a way as to make a newbie in the store feel like they are welcome and not an idiot
and
3) when said misunderstandings (and that’s a gross underestimation of what went on) occur, you don’t take it to the blogosphere and air your own dirty laundry and show off to the world that you are truly about 4 years old in *gimme what I want NOW* and throw a temper tantrum about it for everyone to see- and that applies to both sides.
If you are selling something and someone wants it a certain way– perhaps for personal reason (right now I could use a quad shot cappucino IV stat).. and if someone said we don’t do that, then I would order 2 shots separately and one cappucino NF no foam and pour it all together. I would not appreciate someone getting into my face and telling me I am doing it wrong if I am paying for it.
However I would not be rude — but at that point I would comment about it on the blog maybe.. or use it as an anecdote about good marketing/business strategies.. and how far are you willing to put your own raison d’etre on the line before you lose a customer and create a firestorm of ill will.
Jonathan.. I think you are spot on in several points.
Chris, while the biz owner has the ability to create his own *menu*
( you wouldn’t ask a bakery to use cranberries rather than currants in a currant scone just because you want it that way), being so rigid, shows that while he fights for his rights and his store, he’s also fighting a battle he can only win in his locale and not in a blog.
I hope he stays in business, I hope he learns about kindness and flexibility and willingness to do something for a customer (newbie or not) that doesn’t require the coffee house’s seal of approval and doesn’t result in their visible and vocal displeasure being expressed.
;-)
PS.. I am all for the small business owner but these two children need to grow up and learn to play nice.
You have to admit, great publicity!
I don’t have a problem with rules…but you need to give the customer what he wants. Tell the customer that that can ruin the taste. so you’re not responsible.
Simmermon’s request was reasonable, this response was obscene.
Jonathan – this is just incredible. Thank you for bringing to light and summarizing. The two gentlemen have learned just how powerful blogging and social media can be in today’s age, but apparently not (until possibly now) the negatives that power can cause.
Both sides have points, both sides have faults, and now both sides will have both associated with them in a medium that will never go away.
Justin – You are so right. It may not affect them, it may come back to haunt them.
Cho should start a new drink…the Simmermon. Iced cappuccino…in a to go cup.
Murky’s owner has admitted the policy is NOT about the coffee.
In a discussion with me in the forums on CoffeeGeek, Nick Cho admitted that the main objective of the “no icing espresso” policy was not “Mostly for quality reasons,” (the coffee) as he originally claimed, but to discourage the abuse of complimentary dairy products.
Setting policies for stuff like this just prevents your employees from using and developing their own good judgment and communication skills. Coffee and customer are both important; choosing one at the expense of the other is foolish and unnecessary.
“to discourage the abuse of complimentary dairy products”
Evil!
Great idea, Jonathan. That would be a great way to turn it on its ear. There are so many ways to make lemonade out of this situation if the folks could get over themselves.
(Sorry for the late reply – the notification of the reply didn’t show up in my email til today.)
I like Jonathan’s idea.. maybe we should have a national coffee drink.. double shot (or triple) over ice.
and call it Simmermon..
that would take care of it nicely don’t you think?
dead horse now