Shame on me! After much thought, I think I've been guilty of this pet peeve in the past as well. That really sucks because I was a victim of this pet peeve this morning and I've felt shitty all day. I really hate that I may have done this to someone else.
So here it is. Today I am really annoyed by customers, who are used to a different barista, acting REALLY disappointed that I'm not that other barista. Here are the facts. I own a coffee shop. I employ some really awesome baristas. They share a lot of the responsibility for the success of my coffee shop. I can take pride in my hiring process. It works! I get a pat on the back. This is good for the customers, good for the business, and essentially, good for me.
The only negative side to hiring awesome people is that they can be more awesome than me! I've got a great weekday morning guy. The customers just eat him up; especially the female ones. Whenever he is not working, there are a handful of customers that just get REALLY disappointed that he isn't there. I mean REALLY disappointed. So disappointed that they don't think twice about sharing it with me, the object of their disappointment.
It is no fun to disappoint someone so much just because you are you and not someone else! It doesn't help that I'm the owner which makes me feel entitled to not be a disappointment in my own store. These customers make me feel like saying ridiculous childish things like, "I may not be him, but I'm the owner and I can fire him so you better start being nice to me!"
I think what it comes down to is that everyone wants to feel special. My employee makes these customers feel special because he knows their orders. It makes them feel like "regulars," like they really belong. When he isn't there and I don't know what they want, they feel less special. Unfortunately, they take it out on me which causes me to feel less special and like I don't belong in my own shop! I want the same things they want; everyone just wants to be recognized, feel special, and feel like they belong.
I'm pretty annoyed with these customers bringing me down just because they are down, making me feel like a disappointment just because I'm me and not someone else. I'm equally annoyed because I think I've been guilty of this before! Why can't we all just get along and feel special and warm and fuzzy together since that's what we all want?!?! How annoying!
