Are you stepping over dollars to pick up pennies? – Part 2

Cottage Point Inn

According to recent research, one in three consumers rate not having to pay a surcharge as ‘extremely important’ for their satisfaction with a business.

Accessible by road, water and air and located in one of New South Wales’ most picturesque waterside locations on the northern edge of Sydney, sits a building originally a post office and general store, but transformed into restaurant Cottage Point Inn.

The Inn, awarded two Chef Hats for its cuisine, is a fine dining restaurant employing 15 back and front-of-house staff and offers patrons relaxed table service with a view.

Owner and restaurant manager, Shane Olesen, has always worked in the hospitality industry and was originally a waiter at the Cottage Point Inn 15 years ago. When the opportunity presented itself, he couldn’t resist returning to his old stomping ground and last year took over ownership of the restaurant.

Olesen sees every interaction with a customer as an opportunity to make a positive impression which is unsurprising considering that 40% of Cottage Point Inn’s business comes from return guests.

‘Repeat business and referrals are really important to us, and people often first hear about us from friends and family. People fly in on the sea planes and are here for three hours. There is no mobile reception so people really relax. They forget about the stresses of everyday life and don’t notice the time passing-by. I feel, with increasingly busy work schedules, we are missing this occasional tranquility in life.’

As part of their commitment to exceptional customer service, Cottage Point Inn is one of many businesses that have pledged their support for Surcharge Free, a national movement launched in May that urges businesses to put their customers first by not surcharging card payments.

Being Surcharge Free ensures that each customer interaction finishes on a positive note. According to recent research, one in three consumers rate not having to pay a surcharge as ‘extremely important’ for their satisfaction with a business.

‘I’ve never believed in surcharging,’ says Olesen. ‘I believe absorbing that small cost is all part of running a business. Some business owners forget that handling cash comes with a cost as well but don’t even consider passing that on. I pay for water but I don’t charge people for washing their hands. You work so hard to make people happy and the bill is the last thing you present – it has the power to turn everything on its head. The little dig at the end undermines all of your hard work.’

Small businesses across the country are quickly becoming involved after seeing the positive benefits of becoming surcharge free. For more information on how you can join the more than 110 Australian businesses that have pledged their support for Surcharge Free, visit www.surchargefree.com.au.