There are loads of coffee shops opening up around cities these days and that’s mainly down to the fact that it’s in demand. The public loves coffee and their appetite for a good quality cup is growing rapidly. With ever shop that opens there is another that closes, keeping your cafe open can be a difficult thing to do without customers coming through the door so it’s important to remember a few key qualities that will keep your shop successful.
Location
It goes without saying that where your coffee shop is situated will have a resounding effect on how popular you are, middle city joints have the benefit of high levels of passing trade and surrounding business. If you have decided on a location that’s a little bit out the way then it’s important to make your shop somewhere people want to visit, you might not have 100 people walk past your shop every hour with 10 people deciding to come in, but you do have a place where every customer has made a conscious choice to frequent.
Equipment
Having the best equipment is an absolute must in the world of coffee and there are a few espresso machine brands that have paved the way in the industry. Make sure you’ve done the right research before investing in the machine that will make your name one to remember, there are plenty of online retailers that will allow you to read more information and compare a number of models before making your decision. Your espresso machine and grinder are two things that will be working for you all day every day, so it’s worth getting a good one!
Quality Produce
You could have the best business plan and the best equipment money can offer but if the products that you are using are low quality then customers aren’t going to return. Take pride in the offerings of your cafe and spend the money getting components that will create a food item that will wow the crowds, when someone likes a dish they have eaten they will tell their friends about it which will create more custom for your shop. Memorable food and drink experiences are the best way of promoting your business as it will be spoken about amongst groups of friends and gain the attention of printed media.
There are many shops that buy subpar coffee because it’s cheap and there is a belief that it’s the best way to make money, this is not true. The difference between an amazing coffee and an awful one is a relatively small amount of money so investing in a product that tastes amazing will leave people wanting more.
Customer Service
The people on the front line are the people that are the face of your business, having friendly and attentive staff will make your place memorable and will often have people returning even if they haven’t had the best coffee. If you have staff that appears to be rude then it won’t matter if you have the best cappuccino in the state of California, there won’t be anyone to drink it.
A Good Training Scheme
Ensuring that all your staff has the same level of training is imperative to a successful business, having everyone on the same wavelength will allow the team to be able to perform and problem solve as a unit rather than relying on a singular person. This can be achieved by setting out a structured training plan with feedback being given as often as possible to allow them to have an understanding of how they’re performing.
Passion
There is little to no point in starting a coffee shop unless you absolutely love it, coffee is a lifestyle and you need to be fully prepared to make it a full-time passion. There’s so much to learn about coffee, even if you know a lot already, and you should be willing to learn about it from anyone that can give the knowledge. Anyone who is passionate about coffee will have the drive to create and produce an amazing product for their customers and if you aren’t one of these people then maybe setting up a coffee shop isn’t your calling.
When it comes to setting up shop, being able to run it every day isn’t the only thing you’re going to need to keep your business afloat. Remember these key qualities and you shouldn’t have any problem in having repeat custom. There isn’t a time where all of these qualities combined aren’t important so if you think you might struggle with a few of them, find someone that will be able to help you. If coffee is your passion then you have the best basis of any successful coffee shop, everything else can be learned!
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