Power to the Customer

The year was 1935. Two brothers – aged 10 and 8 – walked along the road to town. It was the height of the depression, so these kids didn’t have any money to spend once they got to town. But they picked up bottles in the ditch and by the time they got there they had enough to buy a couple of small packaged pies at the local café.

In 1935 packaged foods did not print the “sell by” date that we’re so accustomed to seeing today. It wasn’t until he bit into his pie that Kenneth, the younger of the two brothers, noticed that his pie was moldy. The kids tried to return it, but the café refused. “All sales are final” – the kids were out of luck.

It was their uncle – who they had come to town to see – who coached them on what to do next. “Don’t worry. I know how to fix them.” They placed that moldy pie in the window of the café – just behind the curtain. The pie was out of site from inside the café, yet anyone walking past on the sidewalk could clearly see this “product sample” before walking in the front door.

True story. In fact my dad was the older brother in this story. The story always makes me smile: young people getting a little revenge after being treated like less than real customers. I’ve often wondered how long that pie sat in the window – getting more and more moldy –how many potential customers saw it and whether it had any impact on that small town café.

I also think about how much more power my kids have – in our wired society – when they’re not treated fairly at a place of business. Within hours of receiving lousy service at a restaurant, hundreds of their friends can read about it on Facebook. So I guess that moldy pie just got a lot more visible. Do you know what your customers are saying?

Anna Erickson, Ph.D. | Director, Consulting Services

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