In the street where I grew up, there were 3 sari sari stores or convenience stores. Among the 3, Tia Betty’s was the people’s choice. Although, the 3 stores sell almost the same stuff, most of us prefer to go to Tia Betty’s.
And here’s why.
Tia Betty takes the time to talk to you and get to know you.
Whenever I am buying something from her store, I’d hear her chatting up with her customer as they’re paying for the stuff they bought. She seems to know everyone by their name and she remembers the things you usually buy.
She’d share her recipes, recommend herbal remedies and crack a joke or two.
She knows when you’re in a not so good mood.
She’ll toss a few of your favorite candies in your bag for free.
Her wave goodbye is usually accompanied with say hi to your grandma, or mom, or sibling for me.
On days when she cooked something special and you happen to visit her store, she’ll give some for you to take home. It’s no wonder that it was automatic for me to send a plate to Tia Betty, the very first time I learned to cook pasta in garlic, tomato, and olive oil. We ended up chatting about food and she asked for my pasta’s recipe.
Every customer wants to be seen, listened to and treated like they’re family. And wouldn’t it be nice if every business behaved like Tia Betty.
