Coffee shops are one of the most popular types of businesses today. They are financially rewarding as well as easy to start up and maintain. The trends you set to update your coffee shop with a 21st Century appeal is an important factor in how successful your business venture will be.

Know Your Customer Base

No matter where your coffee shop is located or if you choose to conduct coffee shop business online, the most important part of business is knowing your customer base.

Today’s 21st Century updates to a coffee shop business need to address the needs and desires of potential customers. In today’s customer climate, efficiency, timeliness and customer service are all intertwined in a tightly bound business cycle.

What 21st Century customers desire most is the ability to try new things without wasting valuable time. Thus, investing in a point of sale methodology that produces a timely, efficient order-to-final sale process appeals to busy customers. Updating your point of sale system is a major factor in increasing your customer base and closing a sale.

Highly Knowledgeable Customers

The other part of knowing your customers is keeping pace with their knowledge of coffee. With a wealth of information on the newest coffee blends, flavors, brands and varieties, customers are well educated about their favorite drink. It is necessary to cater to the most popular types of coffees that become your biggest sellers.

If your localities caters to high end business customers, be sure to invest in the best latte, cappuccino, macchiato, espresso or venture into dessert drinks like Italian Affogato, Irish Coffee or fanciful Vienna coffee.

Your customers know the difference in roasted coffee beans and the coffee percentages such as Arabica 90 percent, Robusta 10 percent and freshly roasted beans from Portugal, Costa Rica, Ethiopia or Brazil.

Updating Your Coffee Shop Sales

In order to attract the broadest range of business clientele, it is important to offer additional 21st Century updates like loyalty cards and tasty accompaniments like donuts, sweet rolls, Kaiser rolls and butter, mini cakes and muffins.

These help promote multiple and subsequent sales. If yours is a cash and carry business, these items can be prepackaged for faster service.

Success is a Signature Style

One very important factor in a successful coffee shop with 21st Century updates is to create a signature style for your business. For example, to increase business offer a unique type of coffee not offered elsewhere, label it with your business name and offer it at a discount until it proves to be popular. This always draws in business.

Each month choose a “special” offered at prices regional customers desire. Once or twice a year create a special event such as a free coffee tasting soiree. These help embed your business locally as well as regionally.

Whether you choose a counter style or an eat in coffee shop business, success is based on personal business creativity, innovation and the ability to meet today’s customer needs.