Tim Hortons’ Canada President Sami Siddiqui and the bigwigs at Restaurant Brands International Inc. have blown it big-time. They’re now ranked 67th down from 13th position in Canada’s list of most trusted companies. They’ve been fighting with franchisees and employees about cuts to service and quality at Tim Hortons outlets and it has seriously hurt their stock prices and brand. The problem is they’re American and they just don’t get us. A few weeks ago I posted a piece about Timmie’s problems (click here to read Timmie Come Home. We miss you and we need you.)

Obviously Mr. Siddiqui didn’t read the email I sent him, which included a copy of my Boomerbroadcast.net posting. It would have saved such a lot of trouble and put Timmie back on the right track. The senior poobahs at Restaurant Brands International have decided that throwing millions of dollars at redecorating their restaurants will make the boo-boo go away. Sami—while new decor is a welcome gesture, it’s not that simple. You’re missing the entire point, which is (as I explained earlier): being a good corporate citizen and it’s about more than the bottom line. We are sure that bottom line would bounce back up if they treated their customers, employees and franchisees with more respect. Taking care of each other is the Canadian way.

An example of their seriously flawed approach to rebuilding the brand was perfectly displayed in their recent television commercials. The advertisers, with the consent and collaboration of Restaurant Brands’ execs launched a hugely laughable, large-production Hollywood-style commercial featuring employees in a highly choreographed song and dance routine that takes them from dancing and rolling around in coffee beans at the source to dancing around the restaurant floor. Noooooooo! On so many levels. That’s just so un-Canadian. And Timmie’s is all about being Canadian! Sheesh!

Sami. Sami. Sami. I’ll spell it out. Here’s what you should do:

1. Provide employees with benefits. Don’t cheap out. Canadians take care of each other. It’s a matter of mutual respect.
2. Stop those stupid Hollywood commercials. We like red mittens around mugs of quality coffee, steeped tea or hot chocolate, filmed in places like Red Deer and Saint John.
3. Bring back the quality. We’re willing to pay a few cents extra.
4. Fix your business plan to incentivise franchisees to hire more staff. Those long waiting lines are killing us.
5. Last and most important. TRY LISTENING TO YOUR TIM HORTONS’ CANADIAN CUSTOMERS for a change. How many executives are busy punching numbers into their smart phone calculators trying to figure out how to cut costs while they completely ignore their entire raison d’être—the customer? Surely they taught you that basic fundamental at Harvard Business School? You are not omnipotent and if you don’t start treating us better you’ll be kicked out of the game.

Just in case Sami’s gate keeper doesn’t pass this along, perhaps you could forward it too. Maybe if a few of us CUSTOMERS screamed at him, they would listen. It’s worth a try. We really want our old Timmie’s back.

Here’s a link to their customer service department. Due to space limitations, I’d suggest copying an excerpt from this posting or this link to boomerbroadcast.net and sending to the attention of Sam Siddiqui at: http://www.timhortons.com/ca/en/about/contact-comments.php

Here’s the link for: Timmie come home. We miss you and we need you.

P.S. Did you know Tim Hortons coffee cups are NOT recycleable because they’re lined with wax? That can’t be good for our health. I didn’t know that until this week. Perhaps it’s better if you bring your own ceramic or insulated stainless steel reusable cup.