I know it is pathetic to reply to my own post, but here goes
The thing I said about considering patrons opinions and writing them down was a personal point that affected my current business.
I had my customers offering up suggestions at every event. Most of the ideas I had already tried and they didn't work for one reason or another. At one event, a customer told an employee a suggestion instead of me. This employee wrote it down and dropped it in the till. He also told me about it later and I dismissed it as I had tried it before.
The next day I found the note and revisited the idea (without having to defend myself to a customer or employee on why I do what I do). Sure enough it had some merit and after some tweaking it actually worked. It has made my business better.
Since then when people offer suggestions, I hand them a pad and ask them to write them down. That way I can give it all the attention it deserves which is tough in the middle of an event. If they are sincere they write it down or I do it for them. If they just wanted to make conversation, they managed to do that too. Either way I look good to the customer and maybe I get some good ideas out of it for free!
When people offer suggestions I take it personally too. Who is this person to think they can do it better? Then I realize that there is nothing in it for them and alot in it for me. This person could take his ideas and start his/her own business and be my competition. If I handle it well, I eliminate that threat while getting a gem once in a while. I feel better about it and so do they.
its a win-win opportunity
