Who is a customer when you are in a store? Some would say, a customer is anyone who is a potential buyer of a product in a store. We can even say that for a ‘For Profit’ business it would be anyone who can initiate, facilitate or influence a business transaction…. fair.

Now let us look at coffee shop. I had an experience as a customer and the incident made me think who is the customer and what will make me want to continue being one.

I had gone to get my regular coffee at this leading coffee chain. Someone came in asking for water and the barista told her that she had to buy something in order to be eligible for free water. Before I could do anything the person had left the shop. After looking at the prices of everything she might have decided that they were all too expensive. She was not a customer in the eyes of the business.

I should have acted fast and got her the water. I acted slow. Sometimes we are so caught up in our ‘unwillingness to act’ that we miss doing what is important. I could have got her water, but I did not.

I would definitely have done it, if she had asked me for it. But sometimes we have to act even when we are not directly asked for. We should understand the need and respond with humanity. And I failed, I hesitated and the person (who might not have money to buy anything) walked out thirsty.

I asked the barista why she did not give water to someone who needed it. She said that it was not a paying customer yet. And that was the policy. As a paying customer I too felt bad. I started thinking why I should continue to buy coffee from this place if they don’t offer free water to anyone who might need it. After all it was water. It is just being human.

The barista told me that so many people come everyday for water. How much would that number be 5, 10, 15, 100.. I don’t know. I understand that businesses do not want people sitting and using up their space without buying anything.

After a while two people came in with their laptops and sat there for 1/2 hour without buying anything and left. They could do it. Why? But someone who was thirsty could not get water. It did not feel nice to me.

Yes I am a customer, I paid for my coffee, I am also entitled for water as per policy. But I did not want water. They could have given my water to someone in need.

As a customer I agree I was treated well. But for me everyone who enters that door should be treated well if I need to continue as a customer. I decided that it was my last coffee at that huge chain.

I know it won’t make any difference to them, but will to me. There are so many local coffee shops where I can get coffee and my regular coffee will make a bigger difference.