Memorandum
Customers smoking in the waiting area and the impact on other customers
The following report is based on the recent complaints from a number of non-smoking customers who have to interact with smokers in the outer waiting areas. Gen Spa is one of the most reputable Spa’s in the community. Persons from neighboring communities make appointments weeks before there is available space. The personnel encourage these customers to come in an hour before the scheduled time so that they can be prepared for their session. In addition, the employees treat the customers to a complimentary beverage while they wait for their sessions. This idea was implemented to ensure that customers could relax and enjoy the ambience and relax before their sessions. It is important to the employers at the business site as this promotional activity allows the customers to feel as though they are exceptional and the boost to the customers will undoubtedly attract more customers through this informal advertising strategy. The non-smoking customers have threatened to take their businesses elsewhere, but Gen Spa cannot afford to lose either the smoking or non smoking customers. The employers are aware of the laws on smoking and they are also aware that nicotine addiction can be hard to avoid. Therefore, the employers have agreed to redecorate the waiting area and instead of having one room, they will divide the room into two separate areas. Of course, Gen Spa will take full responsibility for the expenses as the employers are aware of the importance of keeping customers satisfied.
REPORT
Problem definition
The problem of customers smoking in the waiting area has a negative impact on the non-smokers who do business with the spa. The non-smoking customers do not appreciate the smell of the tobacco and some do not appreciate the smoke of that lingering smell of stale tobacco. The maintenance personnel has made efforts to clean the room at different intervals but the tobacco smoke when mingled with the air conditioning and air fresheners leave an even more obnoxious smell in the room. Furthermore, customers have complained that the second hand smoking can be detrimental to their health and as such, they would prefer to take their business to a healthier environment. The impact is that some customers have moved their business while some customers have threatened to move their business within the month. In addition, the company has had to increase the cost for cleaning and at the same time the company is losing revenue.
Problem Evidence
Smoking in public places has recently been in the news constantly as researchers and health care workers have become even more concerned with the increase in smoking related health issues. Healthy persons who seek the services at the spa should not have to worry about second hand smoking. To smoke is a matter of personal choice and the truth is that no one should attempt to force persons into accepting their personal choice. But Gen Spa is a business and the owners are aware that customer satisfaction is integral to the overall development of the business.
But, one customer’s satisfaction may become the dissatisfaction of another customer. Smoking can eventually lead to respiratory problems. The customers will face challenges with smokers and the employers who interact with these smokers are also at risk of developing chronic illnesses. In addition, being in a smoke-fill environment leaves the non smoker also smelling of tobacco. These persons will have to interface with others and the embarrassment from this issue will become even greater.
Nonetheless, it is pointless that the entrepreneurs in this business must be forced to spend additionally on cleaning on specific area because of the needs of other health conscious persons. Yet, the employers are aware that the concerns or the non-smokers are genuine and must be given priority. Over the years studies have shown that “the chemicals found in secondhand smoke are the same as those inhaled by the active smoker” (Second hand smoke in the environment 2). The concentration is even greater for persons who are not smoking mainly “because their combustion is incomplete” (Second hand smoke in the environment 2) and this means that the absorption of the cigarette smoke inhalation is at least 100 times higher.
According to Denise Grady, studies have shown that smoking is responsible for over a half a million deaths in the United States annually (Grady 1). The truth is that no one wants to become one of these statistics and no one should have to die because of the selfish nature of those who chose to smoke. The smoking epidemic is real as many persons must smoke regardless of where they are and regardless of the impact this may have on those who do not smoking. Smoking in an enclose area and a business area is unacceptable, but one must remember that everyone needs money to survive. Therefore, persons who smoke can be allowed into their personal spaces so that they can satisfy their addictions while they wait to enjoy an ideal moment of relaxation.
The media continues to emphasize the need to eliminate smoking from private and public spheres. The laws have been adjusted to help to remove smoking from the environment but smokers continue to smoke and have not spent much time thinking about the ways in which smoking affects the public’s health. It is hard to imagine a smoker feeling comfortable with the thought of being in a room with at least five persons and he or she is the only person smoking. But, the problem of smoking at this spa suggests that there are times when the number of non-smokers far outweighs the number of smokers and yet the smokers continue to “enjoy” their moment of pleasure at the obvious discomfort of others.
Arguably, the single smoker in a room full of people has “substantially underestimated the effect smoking has on public health” (Grady 5). But, the non-smoking customers have the right to become fearful for their lives as too many studies have shown the negative effects of smoking on the body and persons must become accountable for their actions and the dangers of their actions on the society. The need to create smoke free environments is great, but the harsh truth is that nicotine addiction can consume the lives of persons to the point that they are unable to function without tobacco.
Gen Spa has an image to maintain as a company that provides excellent care and takes into account the interest of every customer. They can take the high road and ban smokers from their place of business and lose revenue or they can create an additional room so that the smokers can also enjoy the benefits. But with the economic crisis in the country and the need for business to stay afloat, the best possible solution would be to create an environment where smokers and non smokers can become comfortable. Nonetheless, the company cannot afford to be spending additional monies to continue to try to reduce the smell of tobacco and neither can they spend additional money to clear air conditioning units more often than they have to
The problem has recently come to light in the spa and therefore aside from the regular cleaning of the environment, there have been no drastic steps that have been taken to remove the problem. But, what is clear though is that the managers must form suitable solutions that will help to eliminate the problem of disgruntled customers who are moving their businesses to other companies. In addition, there is a growing need to create a substitute area where smokers can also enjoy the benefits of being customers at the spa. The general cleaning of the air conditioning vents and the room has not been effective as customers continue to complain about the lingering tobacco odor in the environment. The regular cleaning of the sofa to remove the smell has not help in the past and therefore the employers will need to create another waiting area where smokers can wait in comfort for the service.
In concluding, the problem at Gen Spa is a genuine problem that must be fixed in a way that all parties are satisfied with the results. The non-smoking customers have the right to demand that their lives are not put at risk by smokers and the smokers have a right to chose to destroy their lives. Gen Spa also has the right to ensure the satisfaction of the customers and to ensure that the company maintains financial profits from the service that they provide. As such it is only fair that Gen Spa discontinues the constant servicing of the waiting area and the air conditioning and instead they should create a second waiting area that will allow smokers to also be comfortable while they wait for their services.
The ideal solution would be to have only non-smokers in the society, but this is not likely to become a reality in the near future, so Gen Spa should create an additional waiting room that will not cost the company excess spending as the current waiting area can be separated with partitions that will trap the smoke in one room. In addition, the room can be void of air conditioning units and the employers can install wider and more opened windows that will allow for the circulation of the smoke even as it is expelled on the outside.
Reference
Grady, Denise, Smoking’s Toll on Health Is Even Worse Than Previously Thought (2015)
Health, Web 13 Mar 2016 < http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/12/health/smokings-health-toll-worse-than-previously-thought-study-says.html?_r=0>
Second hand smoke in the environment (2016) The Lung Association, Quebec, Web 13 Mar
2016 <http://www.pq.lung.ca/services/poumon-9/smoke-fumee/>
