Our Past Is Present July 14, 2017

  July 14, 2017

            This is “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.

            Sometimes it is a challenge to deal with certain customers, who DEMAND service or deals beyond what the business owner may be able or willing to provide. Well… there was an example of a challenge a local grocer had, which was published in the “Junction City Union” newspaper in July of 1910.

            The grocer said he admired women greatly and indeed thought most of them to be quite sensible.  However, occasionally he met a woman who tried his patience.  He said she was the kind of lady who would order groceries at 11:30 in the morning and become highly indignant if the groceries could not be delivered to her house in time for lunch.  That kind of woman usually forgets that the grocer had more than one customer. He said that one woman telephoned her order in at 11:45 AM and said if the goods were not at her house by noon she would cancel the order.  He told his delivery wagon driver to pretend he was beating the horses as he approached the woman’s house.  A little later the woman telephoned to say that the driver was beating the horses unmercifully and she wanted him fired right away.  After the grocer explained that it was difficult to get her items delivered to her on such short notice, she agreed to phone her order in earlier in the future.    

Dealing with some of those DEMANDING customers can be a challenge for those who work in the retail business. “The customer is always right” is a good philosophy, but sometimes the customer needs to consider the business owner’s perspective too.