5 Great Tips For Succeeding as a Small, Indie Coffee Shop

In order to run a successful coffee shop, you can't just settle for getting by. Even if your establishment is doing well at the moment, if you're not always focusing on improving the way you do business, you're going to fall behind. If you fall behind the local competition, you will fail as an organization.

It's time to start making better coffee, handling your employees better, and doing all kinds of things to keep your customers happy, caffeinated, and continually coming back.

Here are some excellent tips for taking your coffee shop to the next level and bringing in a lot more revenue this year:

• It's all about the people -- With the economy reaching full employment, many indie coffee shops are struggling to find qualified managers and baristas. However, the men and women behind the bar will ultimately make or break your business. Even if it means investing more in your operational costs, you must make hiring the right people a top priority. 
  
  
• Spend money on what matters -- Cheap paper cups are much better options than expensive ones that will get thrown away after your customers are finished with their coffee. You should be spending a significant amount of money on your environment, your technology, your customer service, and your product -- don't just shell out a lot of money on expensive stir sticks and other items. You should be able to find cheap paper cups, lids, and all the essential items rather than spending too much on things that your customers won't notice. 
  
  
• Know when your busy hours are -- Though you should be ready for a lot of customers coming into your shop at just about any moment, there are certain time slots that you need to focus on more than others. Approximately 65% of all coffee is consumed during breakfast hours, so be sure your shop is fully staffed bright and early to deal with the breakfast rush. Roughly 30% of coffee is drank during the afternoon in between meals, and the remaining 5% is consumed with other meals. Be sure that you are not under- or over-staffing during these critical periods of the day. 
  
  
• Offer some fun and creative competitions -- Getting creative with the way you do business can really help take your shop to the next level. There are all kinds of ideas out there that can help you improve your relationship with your customers. Offer some fun taste testing competitions, host trivia nights, and plan open mic nights that your customers will love. 
  
  
• Engage with your customers on social media -- Being friendly and attentive with your customers in person is obviously extremely important, but you need to do more than that. Focus on building your social media brand and share fun and engaging content with your followers and customers. Encourage customers to tag your shop on Instagram and other popular social platforms. 

If you’re ready for a much more successful year at your coffee shop and want to stock up on some cheap paper cups and wooden stir sticks, give Hot Cup Factory a call today!