On weekends, I like to spend my time reading at one of our local coffee shops.

Bear in mind, we have limited options in Rocky Mount, but I have generally been quite satisfied with a locally owned shop and a larger conglomerate.

On May 17, I went to a locally owned shop and ordered a regular green tea and chocolate biscotti. I paid $2.74 with tax. Recognizing that this is a locally owned business, I gave them a $1.25 tip (46 percent tip). With alacrity, I support the entrepreneur, the man against the corporate machine.

I come from a family of small business owners, and the one thing my father always taught was to treat the customer right and not nickel and dime them.

When I received my tea, the young barista placed one solitary tea bag in the cup. I asked, "May I have two tea bags?" The young lady froze, unsure of her next step. The owner looked over at me.

I said, "Is there an extra charge for an additional tea bag? (The corporate store) usually gives you two tea bags."

She replied, "I guess they are not a privately owned company trying to make ends meet" or something along that vein. I gave her an additional dollar thinking that would appease her.

She started to charge me $1.94 (the cost of another regular green tea) but she decided to accept my token offering of a dollar. Whew! Close call.

I support local businesses. Frankly I would have never given a 45 percent tip at the bigger store because it is part of a large, impersonal corporation. However, customer service should compel local businesses to treat their patrons with respect and courtesy.

If the local store's owner had any business savvy, she would have paid attention to the very generous tip I had given and treated me accordingly.

I had planned to spend an hour or so at the coffee shop reading and purchasing other items. After the owner's unprofessional conduct, I decided to take my business elsewhere.

A basic business principle: What is your value proposition?

You are not selling coffee; you are selling an experience.

Maybe this is why local businesses often fail; without understanding the basics of marketing and public relations customers choose to go where they are treated with respect by professionals.

Brian Harris

Rocky Mount