suggesting an actual offering on the shelf and then letting them know that all tea comes from the same plant—so if they don't like the flavor of what's in the cup, they can try other varieties. "You're steering the conversation back to the playing field where the person behind the counter feels comfortable," Hammond explains. "It takes them out of the doctor role." It's also worth noting that as the number of quality-tea devo-
tees in the United States increases, some shops are actually seeing a decrease in the number of health-related questions. Heiss says in the past year she has seen a significant drop in the number of customers who are looking for a magic blend that will rid them of sickness. "We're getting questions that are based on people drink- ing tea and observing how it's interacting with their bodies," Heiss says, "as opposed to people saying, 'I'm looking for salvation; what kind of tea should I drink?'"
For more advice on how to effectively—and factually—respond to customers' questions about tea and health, head to freshcup.com for a Web-only feature.
continued on page 23 FRESH CUP MAGAZINE
MASAHIRO HAYATA