How to Deliver Best Coffee Shop Customer Service?

Good customer service isn't just doing the bare minimum. The best customer service is going above and beyond to surprise and delight your customers. Just like how one really bad experience will sour a customer towards your shop, one great experience will foster customer loyalty for life. A good coffee shop's customer service can make or break your shop's reputation.

What Does it Mean to Surprise and Delight?

Have you ever been to a coffee shop or restaurant and had your day made by what happened? I have.

The night my now-husband proposed to me, we went to a local soda shop. We told the cashier, and he gave us free drinks! Already on the proposal high, we were elated.

Cafe, How to Have the Best Customer Service in Your Coffee Shop

That wasn't the only time this soda shop surprised and delighted us. On our first visit to this shop, we were treated like regulars. The employees chatted with us and seemed genuinely interested in our lives. This care and attention is what really made us loyal customers.

How You Can Have the Best Cafe Customer Service

Treat Every Customer Like a Regular

Everyone wants to feel like they belong. When new customers come into your shop, they want to feel welcome. This means genuine, positive interactions with each customer. These shouldn't feel robotic or forced. The way you can do this is to make polite chatter about them, their day, and their favorite drinks and treats from your shop. It's an easy way to make your customers feel both comfortable and appreciated.

Cafe, How to Have the Best Customer Service in Your Coffee Shop

Be Generous

Generosity fosters customer loyalty. My husband and I became loyal customers of that soda shop after they gave us those free drinks. Be generous with your products. If someone is unsure about their drink choice, offer them samples to help them decide. If someone comes in on a special occasion, offer them a free drink or treat to celebrate.

Be Willing to Make it Again - Cafe Customer Service

Avid coffee drinkers are known for being particular about their drinks. A side effect of this is some drinks going wrong. Your willingness to remake drinks when they're not what the customer wanted is a show of respect for them. It shows them you're willing to be generous so they get the drink they want.

Making Coffee, How to Have the Best Customer Service in Your Coffee Shop

Don't worry about wasting hot paper cups or drink ingredients. The willingness to remake a drink is a near guarantee of a loyal customer. They'll buy enough drinks in the future to make up for your hot paper cup and ingredient loss.

Make Recommendations

Going to a new coffee shop can be overwhelming. There are new choices and special drinks you don't know about. Help them out! Be willing to make recommendations for drinks you like, and you think they might like. This can help them be more comfortable in your shop, too.

The best customer service is all about surprising and delighting your customers. This fosters customer loyalty and comfort in your coffee shop.

Denise Hansen, How to Have the Best Customer Service in Your Coffee Shop