NO SHOES, NO SHIRT, NO SERVICE

By:  Dawn Mushill, CEO, Customer Service and Beyond

After researching the term ‘no shoes, no shirt, no service’, I am not sure if it is a law or not but frankly, thinking of the unsanitary thought of someone sitting in a chair at a restaurant with no shirt and no shoes turns me away from wanting to do business there. They have left their, well, I don’t know, their germs on the chair and frankly I am not interested in seeing anyone without a shirt.

The business has a sign posted on the door and expects customers to follow the rules ... or not. And if the customer does not wish to follow the rules, that is indeed their right. But, the ‘no service’ part will then apply.

Let’s assume ‘no shoes, no shirt, no service’ is not a law but a rule the business has implemented. You have the option to support the business or not. They might have other rules like ‘only one person in the changing room at a time’ or maybe ‘you must have a coupon to receive the discount’.  Their business.  Their rules.    

Small businesses are struggling just to stay open. If there is a sign on their door and it says ‘all must wear a mask’ then you have two choices.
One - put on your mask and enter the business or
Two - turn around and find another business for which you can do business and not wear a mask.

It is a choice.  What is not a choice is to badger the employee or intentionally break the rule. Is wearing a mask the law?  Does the mask prevent Covid?  It doesn’t matter. That business has chosen to make wearing a mask mandatory. As a customer, you also have the right to not support a business who does not require masks!  

Imagine your child has their first job.  Both you and your child are so excited and know that anyone’s first job is always something very special.  Your child works for a business that requires masks of both their employees and of their customers.  A customer approaches your child to ask a question and the customer is not wearing a mask.  

Your child has been instructed to ask any customer who is not wearing a mask to please place their mask on their face.  The customer refuses.  The customer not only refuses but they get extremely angry and start yelling and cursing at your child.  They even become a little bit violent.  Remember the sign that said “all must wear a mask”?  That includes both employees and customers.  If that customer chooses to not wear the mask, then they have made a choice.  No service.  

Can you avoid that business because they are forcing a mask?  Sure you can. You can do anything you want. But remember, that small business supports, in many cases, multiple employees which have house payments, car payments and more. That business also supports local non-profits, sports teams and community drives. They also pay taxes.  And they also employee your friends and family.   

My family owns a business and you are not able to use the F word. That is right. And if you use the F word you will be taken aside and told that you can use the word friendly instead but not the F word. If you continue to use the F word you will be asked to leave or escorted out.

You see, it is a business rule. Have groups been escorted out because they continue to use the F word?  You bet they have. Does that mean a loss of $$$?  You bet it does.  But the business has set the rules and customers can follow ... or not.

Another option is to always open your own business. Then you can run it any way that you want.  

Dawn Mushill, CEO
618-444-6808
dawn@dawnmushill.com
www.dawnmushill.com