As inflation soars, many folks who love to indulge in barista-crafted coffee are cutting back on the habit. If you’ve noticed that your café’s coffee sales are falling short of expectations, there are several strategies you can try to get things moving in the right direction again. From investing in the best coffeehouse supplies to rewarding customers for their loyalty, we offer several tips here:
Shake Up the Menu
If sales are going south, it may be time to expand the menu. Offering new beverage or food options (especially seasonal treats) can pique customers’ interest and entice them to swing by your café. Not sure what to add to the menu? Ask your baristas and/or customers for input–if you can provide a prize or bonus for winning ideas, you may be surprised by the innovation!
Create a Customer Loyalty Program
You may think of customer loyalty programs as a perk that only large brands offer, but smaller players can benefit from this strategy, as well. Many coffee bars offer a rewards program to show appreciation for patrons, and it can be as simple as a stamp or punch card. Providing a perk such as a free drink or bakery item after 10 purchases is the most common setup for smaller coffee bars, but you can create a program that works best for your business.
Invest in High-Quality Equipment
Once the customer loyalty program is in place, you may begin to see repeat customers. If you’d like your coffee products to go from good to great to keep the momentum going, high-quality equipment is a must. Whether visiting your café is a daily habit or guests are just passing through, serving excellent espresso-based beverages is the best thing you can do to increase sales.
Purchase Products With Smart Technology
Since many coffee bars experience high employee turnover, purchasing equipment with smart technology will help the team minimize training time and optimize performance. Products such as Perfect Moose Greg offer hands-free technology to ensure that foam (both dairy and non-dairy) is crafted perfectly every time. Many high-end espresso machines have programmable capabilities, reducing the learning curve for new employees and helping to ensure that each shot is pulled to perfection.
If you’re currently experiencing a dip in sales, there are many options for encouraging customers to head back to your shop. Offering new menu items and implementing a loyalty rewards program are great strategies for sparking interest, but the quality of the equipment in your café and level of barista training make the longest-term difference. When you’re ready to invest in the best equipment in the industry, we carry all the coffeehouse supplies you need to brew the best espresso in town. Ready to learn more? Please contact our team with any questions you may have.