As I’ve grown up, gotten married and had children, I have spent a lot of time interacting with companies nationwide about different products from clothing to appliances, diapers to furniture…there is no real standard when it comes to customer service. Some companies are great at it, and others are not. The extremely general consensus is that if you are looking for a proprietor to give you undivided attention, you shop in towns with very few stoplights and even fewer grocery stores.
Imagine my immense surprise when after emailing an inquiry about an order to Scotty P’s Coffee, I received a phone call from the owner, Scott Patterson. While the college kid inside of me who grew up watching “Gilmore Girls” was elated to receive a phone call from “Luke Danes,” I was even more impressed as an adult that someone who could easily take a backseat and let his branding do all the work, was clearly taking his new business venture seriously and working hard to show his customers how invested he is.
For those who are unaware, Scott Patterson played Luke Danes, a small-town diner owner known for his amazing coffee, in the early 2000s sitcom “Gilmore Girls.” In real life, Patterson grew up in Southern New Jersey where he spent countless hours in local diners that led to a love of coffee and the environment that surrounds it. His mother instilled a strong work ethic in him complete with drive, desire, and confidence to make the most out of every opportunity.
The pairing of Patterson and coffee came naturally, and his willingness to work hard to achieve his goal of starting his own business did as well. “I always wanted to start a company from scratch and build it over time,” said Patterson. “Coffee was the natural choice due to the tens of millions of dollars in free global marketing Warner Brothers had already done with regards to ‘Gilmore Girls.’”
But, just because a unique foundation was there, a lot of work had to be done to make this idea a reality. “I enjoy coffee too much, and that’s why I love this business so much,” said Patterson. “It isn’t like work to me…or to my team. You have to have the passion. Everyone who works here has that. It’s a requirement. I’ve worked for and with control freaks who think they know how to do everyone’s job better, and there is nothing worse. It’s one of the reasons I started this company. I don’t have an ego about this, and I don’t want the credit. I am 100% involved and that includes involving my people which means weekends, as well. If you work hard, offer a great product at a fair price, you have a good chance at being successful. In such a competitive space, one has to grind every day (no pun intended) at being better, more innovative, and more attentive to customer needs than every other company. That’s a tall order, but we do not want our customers being merely satisfied. We want them to be blown away.”
In addition to his other career as an actor, Patterson is completely hands-on when it comes to Scotty P’s. “I design the packaging, logos, write all the copy and design the marketing strategy edge to edge,” he said. “My VP of sales and I taste all coffees and discuss at length whether they’ll make the cut. Most don’t. I am not an expert in all areas, so I listen to my people and they always bring great ideas. It’s far more complex than I initially thought once I realized what went into making the flavors. It’s art and science working together, and it’s a long process.”
The launching of Scotty P’s in November 2017 did not go as planned. “The fulfillment end of our business sent out 200 incorrect three-pack orders on the first day,” said Patterson. “Not a great way to begin. Customers were very generous with us about this and even tried the blends they didn’t order and loved them. I was so moved that I sent them all the correct orders for free as a ‘thank you’ for their generosity. You have to treat people right and especially when they are shelling out their hard-earned money. If I screw up, then that’s on me, and I make it right as fast as I can. I even personally called most of them to apologize and have a chat.”
Scotty P’s offers K-Cups with more options in the works. “We are coming out very soon with a House Blend that is better than anything we’ve ever offered,” he said. “That’s a high bar, but we have done it. It’s the best cup of coffee I’ve ever had, and we are ecstatic. There is also an all-natural additive that improves the health aspects of the coffee and deepens the flavor profile. We are changing the game. It’s a win-win for us and for customers.”
So, what does the cast of “Gilmore Girls” think about Scotty P’s? “A few have [tasted it] and said they loved it,” said Patterson. “Of course, they wanted free coffee, so I charged them double! Ha! They can afford it.” Maybe they’ll all be drinking Scotty P’s on set if and when there are more episodes to come…we can all hope!
For more information about Scotty P’s Big Mug Coffee, visit SCOTTYP.COM.
