Small Business Owners and Employees

How would you have handled this?

I think this little story/lesson might spell out the difference between employees and owners.

Of course… we’re not here to generalize… just have a little fun and maybe learn something along the way.

Here goes… Quick story…

I was at my favorite… office away from the office – enjoying the internet, some great food and just relaxing while catching up on a few things and waiting for a meeting to start.

In walked a “prospective patron.” He seemed a little confused.

He made a bee-line to the counter and asked in an un-sure way…

“Is this the place where we ordered six Reubens for pick-up?”

The nice woman behind the counter… (not the owner, he stepped out for a sec)… said… “Sorry… we do not have an order for six Reubens.”

And that… pretty much was that.

My question… did that go down exactly as it should have went down?

I think there might be a few sides to the debate.

At that moment I was taken back in time several years. There were a few times in my days running different types of businesses when I had similar things happen to me.

A few calls where the prospect said… “I saw your TV commercial.”

Fact is… we never ran TV commercials. But I went with it… My reply was… “I see.!?” And then I just moved on to the next step of handling the prospect.

Many times… “I saw your newspaper ad this week!” Indeed, that week, we did not run a newspaper ad.

I have also had people show up to the wrong location (much like the story above) and proceed with us instead of the competition.

In all cases… I was an owner… on a mission to impact people and grow.

I guess you can say I sort of played dumb.

Some reading this will look down upon my actions. Whatever.

Back to the Reubens.

How about… at least an attempt?

“Is this the place where we ordered six Reubens to go?”

Response…

Friendly voice:  “Six Reubens to go? – Fantastic! But, I must say… we certainly did not get that order. Are you sure it was here?” He answers, they chat. And then at some point…

“Well… we do make some of the best Reubens around and we can have six ready for you in 10 minutes.”

He accepts or declines.

If he declines… she says… “Yea… no worries… try _______ or _____ – maybe you ordered from them.”

At that point she gives him a coupon good for get one Reuben and get the next one free.

So…

Is that the difference between owners and employees?

Is that why small business owners love and would go to the ends of the earth for employees who think like owners?

What do you think? How would you have handled this?