Appearances Count… For Little in the Long Run
I came across a newly opened doughnut shop the other day. You couldn’t miss it because there was a long queue snaking outside.
Wow, it must be good.
So we joined the queue and started waiting patiently.
When it finally came to our turn after more than 30 minutes, we had already decided on the flavours we want.
It dawned on us that the queue was caused by slow service rather than popular demand.
The simple matter of packing up 12 doughnuts took the assistant more than 3 minutes. She had to fold the boxes from its flat pack form, put the doughnuts into the box, and shuttle between the counter and kitchen for the flavours that have run out.
I counted six helpers in the kitchen preparing the doughnuts, but only one serving the customers. With a simple reshuffling of workers, the wait could have easily been halved.
Yet unsuspecting people were joining the queue all the time. But treat your customers like fools, and they will eventually wise up and take their business elsewhere.
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creativespark said,
May 3, 2007 at 10:21 pm
Ah, or alternatively, could it just be a clever marketing ploy? By giving the appearance of being popular they may actually attract customers. I know a lot of my friends scan the hawker centres for the stalls with the long queues (“must be good leh”) and I’ve sure been made to wait in a line outside clubs only to discover when I get inside that the place is pretty empty.
OK, joking. Just wanted to test if your comments functionality here is friendlier than your previous place of residence. Loving the blog Hun Boon, really great stuff.
Hun Boon said,
May 3, 2007 at 10:28 pm
haha I actually scan for stalls with the most newspaper cuttings.
thanks for the feedback and suggestions, really appreciate it!