Unfixed coffee shop business costs and waste that go unchecked can spiral out of control—and set it up for failure. When was the last time you reviewed your costs and potential waste channels?

Take a walk in your customers’ shoes to find out if your customer service needs improvement.

Be honest—when was the last time you met and chatted with one of your customers? If your answer is, “not lately,” you’re in the majority. But you’re also at risk of not knowing what customers experience when they frequent your café or restaurant—and not knowing what needs improvement will likely lead to a loss of business.

You’ve got the perfect location, great food and drinks, and you think you have the perfect staff to welcome your customers. But even well-meaning baristas, bartenders and servers can come off sounding impatient, impetuous or just plain lazy when dealing with customers. Just about everyone’s communication skills could use a bit of polishing so they can talk to customers in the most welcoming way possible.

Every customer interaction is nuanced. If you can master those nuances with a little sales training for your staff, you’ll build connections and earn repeat customers. 

Whether it’s adding to your specialty coffee menu, selling gift items or going outside your shop to find new business, diversification can be smart—if you don’t take it too far.

Have you ever walked into a specialty coffee shop to get a simple drink, only to be confronted with a mile-long list of beverage options—and retail offerings (greeting cards, t-shirts, coffee mugs, bags of granola, trendy teas, hip magazines, candies)—that were more than a little overwhelming? A shop that has transformed from a focused and uncluttered coffee purveyor into a snacks and sundries retailer is hard to define as a specific type of business.

Knowing Your Customers Will Help You Manage Coffee and Food Inventory

Is it time to evaluate the products you’re selling? Look at each item on your counter and in your refrigerator and ask yourself, "How much of this actually gets used?" The answer might surprise you.

While great customer service and delicious coffee can bring you loyal legions of customers, you need to manage the cost of running your business—or you'll still lose money. Take the basic latte. Are you charging enough for it to make a profit?