How a Simple Story Won a Customer

Recently, I was sitting in a coffee shop trying to get some work done, but found myself watching people instead.

One of those people was an older gentleman who walked slowly up to the counter and stared at the menu for a moment.

The barista came over and said, "What can I get started for you today?"

He answered her a little gruffly, "I have no idea. I usually just drink gas station coffee, or make it myself. I can't figure out all this fancy stuff."

Without even missing a beat, she smiled and replied, "I get it! My grandpa was just like that. He liked his coffee black and strong. No fancy coffee for him! He usually just made it himself in his old coffee pot from Walmart. I could smell it when I went to visit him, even before I opened the door."

"Sounds like my kind of guy." The older gentleman said.

Then the young woman leaned forward to speak. "I'll let you in on a secret."

I couldn't help leaning forward to hear.

"He really liked our dark roast coffee. I think about him every time I pour someone a cup."

The customer waited a second, and then answered.

"If it was good enough for him, then it's good enough for me. I'll take a medium cup of your dark roast. Black."

I was amazed at what I'd seen and heard. I don't even know if that barista understood what she had done, but I did. She had used a simple story to turn an awkward situation into one that probably earned that cafe a repeat customer.

She made a human connection by going off script for just a moment. It was beautiful.

That's the power of storytelling.