Running your own coffee shop can be incredibly rewarding, but it’s certainly not without its challenges. No matter if you’re going it alone with a startup or are investing in a coffee shop franchise, your business management skills will be integral to the success of your store.
Here are some key points to consider when starting up and managing a coffee business.
Identifying Your Strengths & Responsibilities
As a business owner and manager, your skills and ability to grow set the foundation for the whole enterprise. As the person heading up a coffee shop – a notoriously demanding environment – you’ll need to be confident in your organisational, leadership and customer service skills. Plus, a genuine passion for and knowledge about coffee doesn’t go amiss, even if you won’t be working as a full-time barista!
Define your key managerial responsibilities and to whom among your staff you can delegate. The work of a coffee shop manager can be quite varied, so be prepared to get hands-on along with all the behind-the-scenes work that’ll be required.
Key responsibilities of a coffee shop manager may include:
- Hiring and training employees
- Managing schedules
- Overseeing daily operations
- Maintaining health and safety regulations
- Vendor coordination
- Inventory, delivery and stock management
- Customer service support
- Record keeping for revenue and expenses
- Helping develop strategies for growth
Be Guided By Your Business Plan
Creating a thorough business plan is not only essential for convincing lenders and franchisors that your cafe is viable in the first place, but it also sets out a roadmap to keep you on the track to success. A business plan establishes your objectives and prescribes realistic time frames and methods for reaching your goals.
A good business plan should also highlight potential challenges and outline solutions in advance, keeping you one step ahead of the game.
Understand Your Products & How to Promote
Know your coffee. While your team of baristas might be the ones working the magic with the drinks, it’s important to have general expertise on what you’re selling and why. Having a good working knowledge of all the items on your menu is essential when it comes to refining and developing your product offerings.
As the manager, you’ll also likely be in charge of ordering supplies and restocking, which is easier when you have a good understanding of what is needed for each drink or recipe. Beyond basic information about stock, you should also aim to inspire your staff to talk knowledgeably and passionately about the products available – if you don’t care, why should they?
Additionally, understanding what kinds of products and variations are popular with customers can help guide your future decisions when it comes to offers and different seasonal promotions.
Effective Employee Management
The success of your coffee shop will depend just as much on the people as the products. Aim to build an atmosphere of collaboration and communication amongst your cafe staff. It’s your job to facilitate the best working environment.
Be approachable and let your employees know they can come to you with concerns. Holding regular team meetings helps to keep everyone in the loop and creates a space of open communication.
You should also be clear about what you expect from each role and ensure staff members have the proper training and any ongoing support they may require.
When it comes to scheduling, work with your employees to get a good balance of stability and flexibility. You want to create an environment of trust and respect that goes both ways. An expertly managed schedule is one of the key ways you can support your staff and build this relationship.
Make Use of the Right Technology
With so many things on your plate, it makes sense to make your life easy where possible. Establish what kinds of things can be automated or at least semi-automated to give you a head start.
Automation tools can be helpful with employee scheduling or ordering supplies you know you’ll need each month.
Comprehensive point of sales systems are also a must for any successful modern business. Use the data provided here to analyse sales patterns and product trends – there’s a lot of insight to be gained from the numbers as well as your customers directly.
Optimise Store Layout & Design
Every coffee shop faces the challenge of standing out from the crowd, so consider what’s so special about yours. Customers will remember a unique store design or a space that feels particularly cosy and welcoming.
At Esquires, we work with each of our franchisees to develop a coffee shop design that stays true to the brand’s values but still feels like an authentic addition to the community.
Beyond design, the layout is another important factor to consider. Along with perfectly-positioned seating and accessible walkways, you should also optimise your ordering area and service counters to ensure customers don’t feel rushed or confused when purchasing.
Stay on Top of Industry Trends
Another good way to stay ahead of the competition is to keep up with industry trends and use emerging ideas to develop your menu, sustainability practices, technology usage or marketing efforts.
Stay informed and engaged with the wider community. This will all feed into your ability to keep your customers and employees happy, not to mention supporting the continued success of your store. Subscribing to industry news and attending networking events or coffee conventions are great ways to remain up-to-date and active in the evolving market.
If you think you’ve got what it takes to run a thriving coffee business, an Esquires Coffee franchise may just be the venture for you. Start your journey by applying below.
