'Rudest cafe': Bad press bad for business, marketing expert warns

Karyn and Donald Cullingford, owners of the Springfield Store and Cafe, have been lambasted online. Photo / YouTube

The "rudest cafe in New Zealand" is unlikely to get much benefit out of its newfound fame, a marketing expert says.

The Springfield Store and Cafe on the Canterbury Plains has been lambasted for the poor attitude to customer service shown by the owners, Karyn and Donald Cullingford.

The pair have received numerous one-star reviews on Trip Advisor and Yelp, with most reviewers rating the cafe "terrible" despite reportedly delicious food.

While reviewers said Springfield's pies were "excellent" and "amazing", the Cullingfords have been called grumpy, aggressive and rude.

The embattled owners appeared to have gone into hiding today. A cafe waitress told the Herald they were not doing well.

But some wondered if the negative feedback could be positive for the pair, as tourists might stop in just to see if they'll get yelled at.

A steady stream of international tourists were spotted at the shop today, many of whom were taking photos outside. It was unclear if they had been hoping to catch a glimpse of the Cullingfords.

Dr Bodo Lang, head of marketing at the University of Auckland, said while the publicity could draw some tourists looking for novelty, it was unlikely to outweigh the negative press.

The cliche that "any publicity is good publicity" had generally been debunked, he said.

"Negative publicity works really badly for brands that are well known and well loved," he said.

But there was a caveat.

"The research has also shown the negative publicity can work for brands that are not well known because you become more aware of them."

Young tourists - who often fit the stereotype of risk-taking, novelty-seeking behaviour - might seek a bad experience just for novelty, and social media influencers on a quest to make a viral video might stop in for "a bit of a hoot and a laugh to see how bad it is".

But older tourists with money were used to good service and wouldn't put up with bad service, he said.

"It will undoubtedly work against the cafe."

The Springfield Store and Cafe, at the base of the Southern Alps, makes excellent pies but its owners have made some enemies. Photo / File

Retail NZ spokesman Greg Harford concurred.

"It's the good service and good experience ultimately that keep customers coming back and able to run a sustainable and profitable business," he said.

He didn't believe the Cullingfords' surliness was a deliberate play for publicity.

"I'd be surprised if anyone was intentionally trying to run an environment that was hostile to customers."

But he had some sympathy for those working in what could be a tough job.

"It's really important for those working in those frontline roles to take a deep breath if something's not going right," he said.

"Your actions are highly visible to everyone in your store and, with the rise of social media and cellphones with cameras and things, everyone right round the world can see what's going on."

He suggested they "take a deep breath" when things weren't going right.

"It's a tough gig dealing with customers day in and day out. It's always good to take a bit of time out, try and keep things fresh and really focus on delivering."