How to tell a customer to go away.

Clutchcargo

My wife runs a small coffee shop in my town. She has a regular customer who can sometimes spend 3 hours there. He's a fat older guy, maybe 65ish and I'd say, 60-70% of the time he smells with varying degrees of intensity. Sometimes he falls asleep in the small chair. He's good for maybe 8-10 bucks per visit but I can't help think how much business turns away when they see him there. He's just looking for someplace to hang out because he literally has nothing better to do.
Not only does he take up room, he makes the shop look bad as he's snoozing.
If you were my wife, how would you handle this?
TIA

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Leah Frances

Gently tell him he is no longer welcome. The local law enforcement can help her get a no trespass order to serve on him.

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Jackofall1

The guy is the local law enforcement

Like Leah said first gently tell him and then if that doesn't wark involve the law.

Mark

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Clutchcargo

Thanks, I guess there is no way to do this without the awkwardness that goes with it.

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Tizzer

How do you "gently" tell a regular customer he is no longer welcome?
Maybe she can have a chat with him when not busy. Give some hints like going fishing or take up a hobby. Maybe his wife died.
I'd talk with him before giving him the heave ho.

Clutchcargo

He's not the most pleasant guy. Never married, I know that much.

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DangerMouse

Some signs might help.... (CYA)

"We reserve the right to refuse, etc."

"This is a place of business, no loitering please."

etc.

DM

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Leah Frances

Clutch- If I was your wife I would say something along the lines of... Sir, we have had some complaints about your personal hygiene. I need to ask you to make sure that you are wearing clean clothes and a freshly bathed before coming to visit us.

It may offend him enough he never comes back

You wife could set a 3 drink minimum for sitting for more than 30 minutes or something. You could price him out of the place.

Good luck it's certainly a touchy subject.

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canadaclub

Give him ( or create him) a "preferred customer" seat..preferably beside the washroom. Make him feel at home and you retain his business. After a few small talk intervals, you can tactfully mention his odour. Sometimes subtlety works. You could offer him a bottle of cologne as a frequent customer prize and talk him into putting it on each day to earn the first coffee free? For $10 you may have a customer for life.

tcleve4911

....one idea.....

Put up signs.



Make it obvious but be subtle and polite.
If he doesn't get the hint, then call the police, explain your situation and have them deal with it.
That's why you pay taxes....so you don't have to deal with that stuff.

kwikfishron

Maybe the 30-40% of the time he doesn’t smell she can compliment him, engage in conversation so he doesn’t fall asleep in the chair.

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canadaclub

Cleave..he's an old man looking for a cup of coffee and he found a place where he feels comfortable. Sure, you could place "Stay out of here if you have no money or stink" signs all over and see what that gets you.

Empathy and understanding works best.

DangerMouse

...and of course, make HIS coffee extra strong to help him stay awake...

DM

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tcleve4911

I'm just replying to your post of how to deal with this guy.
If you don't want my opinion that's fine.
Go sit down and talk to the guy. Tell him your concerns.

You have a business to run.
If he's hurting your business and taking away your hard-earned income, then change it.
Otherwise let him stay there and let him drive you nuts....


as long as he's not hurting YOUR business.

canadaclub

Geez Cleve...nothing personal mate but there are ways to a win-win situation.