3 Rules for Dealing with Kids as Customers

This public service message goes out to those that work in the entertainment industry. Especially, in the entertainment industry that is aimed directly at children under the age of 12.

If you want repeat customers, especially those that will throw a fit when parents asked them where they want to go, then it is wise to know and live by these three SIMPLE rules .

#1. Never hurt a kid's feelings by telling them NO with anger in your voice.

#2. Never hurt a kid's feelings by Over-Promising and Under Delivering

#3. (a.k.a. THE GOLDEN RULE) NEVER, EVER PUT YOURSELF IN A SITUATION THAT WILL GET YOU ON MOM'S BAD SIDE!

Here is a BIG Hint to not breaking Rule #3: DO NOT BREAK RULE #1 OR #2 OR #1 & #2.



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Under New Management

What if you went to a restaurant and the food or service or both were TERRIBLE?

Would you go back? Probably not!

OK, who would want to subject themselves to the same punishment? the same bad food? the same bad service? Unless, you are masochist it is understandable to never set foot in that place, again.

Now fast forward 6 or 8 months later. You drive past that same restaurant, in the front window a sign reads "Under New Management" and now your interest is piqued.

Do you dare venture in? Most will, if only to give that restaurant a second chance.

Consider this: Does having an "Under New Management" sign mean that some pixie dust was sprinkled within and among the restaurant's staff and it magically stopped being terrible?

Probably not! If there was not a complete replacement of the staff, the policies and procedures the organization will continue to do what it has always done. Sure, they make change for the short term. Maybe just long enough to create some "regulars" but eventually the new paint will start to peel off and the layers of grease, grime and bad attitude will come out. Then you are right back where you started.

Consider this: When an NFL or College football team replaces the Head Coach, the rest of the coaching crew is replaced. Typically, this is not done by the organization itself but by the Head Coach. The new Head Coach will say that this a "brand new" program and not the continuation of the old way of doing things. If the organization wanted to continue doing the same old thing they would not have fired the Head Coach in the first place. Thus cleaning house is not only in order but expected.

While it is fully understandable that not all the waitstaff and cooks can be replaced at one time (or can they?) However, some measurable change must take place even if it is until the entire old crew can be phased out and a new crew is phased in.

Therefore, if you do decide to return and you don't see a change in personnel, especially where the problem area was then then only change that took place was that someone got a great deal on an "Under New Management" sign and that is a crying shame!


Image of kitchen and cooks by Seattle Municipal Archives and used under Creative Commons License.


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