Hooray for transparent Stanislaus businesses caring more about health than profits
Something interesting happened when Redwood Cafe last week told the world that an employee had tested positive for COVID-19, prompting it to close for at least two weeks: People told Redwood Cafe “thanks.”
A majority of the 95 people commenting on the Modesto restaurant’s Facebook page clearly appreciated the unforced transparency.
“Thank you for doing the responsible thing!”
“Finally a business that cares about its employees and its customers.”
“May other businesses take the lead like you have done!”
It would have been so easy for Redwood Cafe to simply close and hide, hoping to escape scrutiny.
I wonder how many other businesses in our region are doing exactly that, while coronavirus cases rise alarmingly throughout Stanislaus County.
- Last week, we landed on California’s watch list for places experiencing dangerous spikes. Many sectors of our economy would have to close again if we don’t get things under control.
- Sunday brought our highest increase ever of positive tests, at 115. That gave us a six-day positivity average of 12.9%, easily more than double the statewide average of 5.4%. And our hospitalized count of 17.4 COVID patients per 100,000 people ranks third in the state, behind only Kings and Imperial counties.
Honestly, things right now are pretty bad, and getting worse. Which might make Redwood Cafe’s transparency that much more remarkable.
Coming clean in Modesto and beyond
Community Bible Church in Waterford took a similar tack, admitting positive cases for six parishioners in a candid Modesto Bee interview. Modesto-based Save Mart Supermarkets have temporarily closed two stores, one each in Riverbank and Ceres, for deep cleaning in recent weeks when employees tested positive for the coronavirus; the closures were publicized on the company’s Facebook pages.
Turlock and Vintage Faire Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers and El Rio Memory Care Center have been forthcoming about their outbreaks and numerous sad losses as well.
In case you’re curious, no law requires these entities to disclose their COVID challenges.
“Nothing is requiring them to provide information,” Deputy Royjindar Singh, a county spokesman, said in a Monday email. “I have talked to most of these places and they just want to get ahead of the rumor mill. Just like anything, the rumors make the situation sound much worse than it may really be.”
Others own up only when forced to. The most recent bad example is Modesto’s Rainbow Fields, where a youth softball event defying a state order was closed Friday by authorities.
What moves people to openness when it’s not forced? Owners must know that going public might prompt customers to avoid them — almost the worst fear of any church or business.
Almost.
Cheers for transparency business model
Maybe they’ve figured out that honesty really is the best policy. That people sympathize with how hard it’s been for everyone, and are eager to reward transparency with patronage. That short-term loss from paranoia can be overcome by long-term loyalty, if a business proves that it cares more about health than profits.
We’ve seen how the American people can forgive politicians and other public figures who humbly acknowledge personal shortcomings. A similar willingness to let bygones be bygones is at work here. We like people who have the courage to admit they’re vulnerable; our own imperfections help us identify with them. They’re real to us when we see that they’re like us.
All business owners should follow the example set by Redwood Cafe, Save Mart and the others: Come clean, clean your place, and trust that customers will reward your honesty.
They will, if remarks on Redwood Cafe’s Facebook page are a clue.
“This too shall pass, but not our knowledge of how you responded,” wrote one person. “You have a new customer.”
This story was originally published June 29, 2020 at 4:36 PM.
