During this unparalleled time in world history, it is important that we follow the health safety guidelines so that we can survive and thrive during the difficult times ahead. Be assured, coffee has been around for thousands of years and isn’t going anywhere.
At CoffeeTec, our team is operating remotely so that we remain healthy and ready to serve each of you and your coffee equipment and consulting needs. The global coffee community is tight-knit and small, so let’s continue to support each other as we make decisions about how we maintain business operations. We, for one, are very grateful for your continued support.
The good news is that coffee is a mainstay of our customers’ lifestyle and habits. Depending on where you are located and how your business is set up, there are several ways to keep roasting and selling.
Here are a few ideas for you to consider in the days and possibly weeks ahead to best accommodate your employees and customers:
Consider creating a new roasting shift when no one is in the roastery, perhaps early mornings or evenings. Then choose the opposite time period for someone to come in and package the coffee, possibly rotating employees for this task.
If your business doesn’t currently have a drive-thru, you can easily establish one by putting up a canopy tent or E-Z Up outside your business. These can range from $54 to $228 on Amazon and are easy to install and also provide cover for your equipment. One employee can make beverages inside while the other is outside serving customers — keeping a safe distance between employees and customers.
Turn those employees into delivery drivers. Take phone orders with a minimum purchase requirement for delivery and add a 10% service fee. Many coffee businesses are still realizing steady sales by incorporating this option. (Check your local jurisdiction to determine if a license or permit is needed to add temporary drive-thru or home delivery options.)
You can promote changes to your service by publishing on your social media accounts, advertising on your town’s Facebook page (some ads are free now), and any other media available to let customers know you are open and ready for business for take-out orders, home delivery, website/app sales, etc. You can also create an incentive to buy more (i.e., 2 bags 10% off; 3 bags 15% off; 4+ bags 20% off, etc.).
If you don’t have a website, don’t let that stop you! There are plenty of ways to sell your coffee online. The obvious one is Amazon.com but it is more difficult to set up and there is a cost to list. Check out coffee-related sites like Bottomless, Beanbox, and others. They’ll take a small fee but they do most of the work for you.
Let your customers order beverages or beans from an app for your business. Here’s an example of a free website to make your own app for iPhones and Androids.
The most important thing to realize is that this will come to an end and business will return rapidly, so be prepared for when things turn. In the meantime, think outside the box, be creative, keep those sales cranking, and keep your employees working. It’s good for all of us emotionally and will keep some cash flow going.
If you have questions about maintaining business continuity in the weeks and months ahead, including general operations or the right timing to sell or invest in coffee equipment, we'd like to hear from you — and we can help.
We’ve posted these tips on our Coffee Blog and social media. Please follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter for updates on this topic, coffee and product news, and more.
We’d also love to hear any ideas that have worked for you so that we can share with others in our beloved coffee community. You can reply to this email, or leave a comment on our blog or social posts. We’re a resilient lot, so let’s share our ideas and help each other out!
Be encouraged and stay well,
Scott K. Plail
Managing Partner/CEO
CoffeeTec
Comments
Leave a comment