Improve Your Profits

When a customer walks through your door does your staff greet them warmly and sincerely, do they make sure that the customer feel’s truly welcome and appreciated for walking into your establishment?

So what are the elements of a good greeting?

1. Immediate recognition. Don’t wait even a couple of minutes to acknowledge your customer. If you are anywhere in proximity of your customer say hello.

For example:

·         Whenever you walk into Moe’s Southwest Grill the staff yells “Welcome to Moe’s”

·         At Cold Stone Creamery as soon as you walk in a staff member will say “Welcome to Coldstone”

·         Or you can say “Welcome to Bob’s Java, my names John, what can I make for you today?”

1. Avoid “How may I help you?” this question allows the customer (in a sales situation) to say “just looking”. Start off with “How are you?” or comment on something they are wearing “great glasses, where did you get them?” Size them up as soon as they walk in the door.

For example a middle aged woman walks in with two small kids, she seems a bit rattled and she is wearing a Soccer Mom T-shirt. As she approaches the counter, a conversation might begin like “Welcome to Bob’s Java. Looks like you have your hands full. Did you just come from practice or a game?” and she says “Oh no! Thank God, soccer ended last month.” (“You Can Compete” by Bob Phibbs) 

A response back might be:

1.  
   • “My sister said that very thing when her kids were done with soccer for the season”
   • “ My neighbor has 3 boys who all play soccer, I bet she would have to agree with you”

1. Understand them. Begin your relationship with the true goal of finding out their unknown wants, needs and desires and making sure that you fulfill them.

Having a proper greeting and a proper salutation as they leave are important steps in getting your customers to return. Go over with your staff some examples of everyday of “Goodbye Greetings”. That will be the last thing the customer remembers and it should definitely leave a good impression. For example:

• “Have a nice day, hope to see ya again soon”
• “See ya later Joe”
• “Thanks for stopping in, have a great day”

For more information visit www.KMOcoffee.com and for more ideas visit www.improveyourprofits.com , for up-to-date information on Kaffe Magnum Opus visit www.twitter.com/KMOcoffee or to contact me directly at Ciara@KMOcoffee.com

You have heard the saying; “nothing happens unless something gets sold”.  Many people have to relearn this axiom of successful business.  If you have opened or plan to open a business then hone your sales skills and get moving.  Don’t waste time doing things that have no chance of a return on the use of your time.  Sell.

During my bike ride down the East Coast in November and December 2007 visiting coffee stores the successful stores had three things in common: wifi’ (mostly free), drive-through’s and special events. 

KMO will soon add these three elements to the Improve Your Profits web site.  In the meantime, if you don’t have a wifi, get one set up as soon as you can, and work hard to line up community events, like a recital for your local music store that provides music lessons.  Music teachers withoug stores are also a good source. These bring immediate results since parents and grand-parents come.

This blog is an additioin to the Improve Your Profits web site and the idea is to share ideas with other members.

In the immediate future this site will become a members only site; customers of Kaffe Magnum Opus will gain membership automatically.  If you are not a customer of KMO and would like membership please contact Robert Kraeuter for more information. 

Lets work together to help each other improve your profits.  Sharing ideas will speed the process for all members.

Bob Johnson

The objective of this site is to create a community of coffee retailers – cafés, coffee houses, gourmet shops, bagel shop, bakeries and your niche.

These times are a bit more uncertain than normal and it remains to be seen how the new administration will deal with the historical issues now upon us.

So, let the retailers share ideas and successes that will help your fellow entrepreneurs to do well in all kinds of conditions.

Kaffe Magnum Opus has maintained a site, www.improveyourprofits.com for many years, but it is a static site with little or no interaction between retailers. 

So we are adding a blog through which we believe coffee retailers can share, directly should you choose that option, or, with the community of retailers. 

This site is here for coffee retailers, no matter the niche you selected.  Please subscribe.  Post anything you want, any idea might help a store in need.  Please subject your post to the Grandchild test.  If you won’t show your grandchild, don’t post it.

Let’s get the ball rolling.  Within a few days KMO will post the ideas that are on www.improveyourprofits.com right now and look forward to joining in a lively and spirited and focused discussion.

Let the good times be shared.

Bob Johnson, Founder

Kaffe Magnum Opus