NOT Customer Loyalty

Its odd to have such an odd title. By that, I am trying to address one issue that we face regarding the customer's loyalty and their expectation from us. We have always argued about the need for providing better services to the loyal customer and bringing new businesses. Here, I will try to put a scenario where you need to chose between the loyalty and profit. Ok, lets go.

Imagine. Just imagine, you own a small restaurant. You have nominal profit and everything is going fine. You have regular customers who visit you regularly. Life's going fine and you have no complains. Then one day.

The day is pleasant, weather is just right and its a fresh start for your business. Some groups of tourist visit your restaurant and orders some food. You are delighted by the mass and by the luck. Suddenly you realise that food stock is small. It is going to be difficult for you to cater all of them. You order your cook to make more. The new visitors orders more. The consumption increases and your rate of work is low. But you are managing. Suddenly, your loyal customer - the one who regularly visits - comes to your restaurant. Now.

Now, what would be your action. Would you divert your resources to cater your loyal customer or your newly found tourists, from where you are obviously going to gain more. Upsetting your loyal customer would hamper your balanced business and letting the opportunity go by would surely hurt you.

From my personal experience, people tend to play safe by rejecting the opportunity. Is that justified? Or shall I say, you must have gone for new short term opportunities, to give that boost you need in your business? Hmm. It might be a question of morality and loyalty. But just give a thought.