Specialty Coffee Retailer is a publication for owners, managers and employees of retail outlets that sell specialty coffee. Its scope includes best sales practices, supplies, business trends and anything else to assist the small coffee retailer.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/96901
JACK'S BLEND 10 ideas to improve your business N by Jack Groot ext time you read an issue of Specialty Coffee Retailer customers as they walk in, how quickly they are helped and magazine, it will be 2013. Wow, twenty thirteen. Think the general attitude of your staff. You may want to sit in your about that. Many of you probably remember typewriters, store a few hours a week to get your staff used to seeing you dial phones and the first Texas Instruments calculator that there so that you "disappear into the woodwork." Pretty soon simply added, subtracted, multiplied and divided—and cost they'll forget you are there. Take notes and then address with $200. And now here we are accessing billions of pages of the goal of improvement. Build a team. Coffee shops are no different from any other information at our fingertips, watching live weather events on the other side of the globe, with a cell phone in our pocket business. There are many tasks that need attention besides that is more powerful than technology that sent the first men making espresso, and building a team mentality for store operations will benefit every aspect of the operation. to the moon. Get a free energy evaluation. Many utility companies offer Time is your most valuable resource. So here are 10 ideas that will add value to your business and, if you spend a little free energy evaluations for local businesses. They will give you of that time today, will benefit you and your business for years a report on how you can run a leaner, more energy-efficient business. You may not be able to make all the changes at to come. Run a cost analysis of your menu. Take every food and once, but begin implementing efficiency changes and watch beverage item on your menu and calculate your cost of goods, monthly expenses go down. Take a vacation. Yes, you heard me correctly. Nothing labor to produce and profit margin. If your margins are off, worse than a burnt-out, ornery and visionless leader. Getting raise your prices…NOW! Evaluate your staff. If you've never given your staff an away from the business for a few days allows for a good evaluation, start the process. Determine your standards, make "clearing-of-the-head," a break from issues, and an opportunity sure they understand the business goals and then hold them to renew vision and passion for the business. Often we are accountable. Give raises to deserving employees and challenge more productive during down time, and stepping back allows for more big picture ideas to float to the surface. underperformers. I could go on and on. There are so many things to work on Give your equipment a checkup. Rate your espresso machine and grinders on upkeep, cleanliness and maintenance. in our businesses. As a friend told me prior to me opening Evaluate your coffee brewer and coffee grinders. Make sure my first business, "Remember, you have to set the time you go they are in good operational condition, maintained well and home at the end of the day. Your business could use you 24 hours a day and you'll still not get everything done." Wisdom cleaned regularly. Take stock of your menu. Has your menu stayed the same from the trenches sent your way. Now, have a prosperous holiday season, enjoy time with for the last few years? You probably need to update it. Change the look, make sure it is readable and that you don't have too family and friends and start planning how you're going to much on it (and you can raise your prices while you are at it). invest time into your business starting on Jan. 1, 2013. SCR Deep-clean your store. Bathrooms can never get too much attention, and almost any store more than one year old has dust on light fixtures, toe kicks that are dirty and flooring that needs attention. Pass on responsibilities. If you don't empower and involve Jack Groot owns JP's Coffee in Holland, Mich. He also provides coffee your staff, you are missing out on your most valuable asset: business consulting and training through the Midwest Barista School your people. If you don't have people you can trust or are (MBS) and On Track Coffee Consulting. Also, check out Jack's new blog, competent, you have another issue and may need deeper help "Jack Groot's blog – confessions of a coffee shop owner" at www.coffeegroot. before you can delegate. com where you can read more from Jack's two decades as a coffee shop Watch your customers and staff interact. Take some time owner and sign up for the MBS newsletter. Jack can be reached at jack@ to sit in your store and just watch what is going on. Watch jpscoffee.com or 866-321-4MBS. 8