Perspectives

Last Wednesday morning about 7am, I pulled into the parking lot of a coffee shop in Pacific Grove. I mention Pacific Grove, CA for a reason; it is an upscale retirement/baby boomer community. When I pulled up I admit I was playing the stereo a little loud and I had my windows down. The couple sitting in the Porsche SUV next to me was giving me “stink eye (Hawaiian slang for a disapproving look).” When I stepped out of the car their look turned to one of surprise when they saw a fellow “baby boomer” staring back at them.

I tell this story because it illustrates the problem with preconceived ideas. They heard the music coming out of my car – “GORILLAZ/Fire Coming Out of the Monkey’s Head” – and assumed they were about to encounter a twenty something with tattoos and piercings, and got me instead.

It was kind of fun to watch their body language as they attempted to recover with style and grace and failing.

I have a “twenty something” son, and for many years we have been sharing the radio. As a result, he is as big a Doors fan as I am; and I have developed an appreciation for his music. In fact the playlist on my Ipod according to a boomer friend of mine is “defiantly twisted.” It contains the usual classic rock groups, Hawaiian music, and a mix of:

Blink 182
Korn
Tool
Powerman 5000
Sublime
Bucket Head
Gorillaz
Insane Clown Posse
Creed

among others. I bring the subject of music up because of a problem I have observed in a number of stores selling big ticket items: “conflictive staffing.” The challenges faced by salespeople dealing with customers of different generations. It is a two way problem. It is a problem that more storeowners need to recognize and deal with because it is costing them money.

Do you play music for the staff who you pay, or for the customers who pay you?

I went into the coffee shop in Pacific Grove to get breakfast. I was thinking a large coffee with a sesame seed bagel with cream cheese, and a chance to get on the Internet to check and respond to emails. As soon as I opened the door, I was hit by a wall of loud music that was hard for even my expanded tastes to take. The rest of the customers were boomers and not enjoying the loudness or the harshness either.

As I suffered through waiting for my order, I decided that I didn’t need to check my emails, got my coffee and bagel to go and left. The next four days of my stay in Pacific Grove, I went to a different bagel shop for breakfast. It had no Internet access, but it also had no blaring “Grunge Rock” music either.

In my little town, which has a mirror age/income demographic to Pacific Grove; the owner of the coffee shop is on top of the “conflictive staffing” challenge in a way the owner of the coffee shop in Pacific Grove is not. This makes for a good contrast observation.

When I go into the bagel shop in my town, most of the tables are full. There is no music blaring. There is no music at all. Instead of blaring music the customers talk to one another. Most of the people are regulars. Most of the tourists in town that discover the place come in each morning during their stay becoming “temporary” regulars.

I understand the young staff in Pacific Grove had to come in very early and work hard to have the product ready by opening time. I know from experience good (subjective I know) music loud during the very early morning hours creates the kind of atmosphere that helps make the morning routine more enjoyable.

The very young staff at the coffee bagel shop in my town has the same morning routine. The difference is when they open the doors; they create an atmosphere that makes the morning routine more enjoyable for the customers.