Who Are Your Cafés Competitors?

When opening a cafe one of the first things you'll need to know in order to increase business to your cafe or coffee shop is what your competitors are doing for their customers and what services they are providing. This information will serve as ammunition to keep you ahead of the game.

What kind of cafe are you opening? 

Clearly defining what you offer will help you determine who your competitors are. This is the first step toward having a successful business with something unique to offer. Figuring out who your competition is and what it is they offer their customers will help you thrive in this industry.

One thing that you'll soon realize is that your competition may not be just other coffee shops are cafes. When starting a cafe there are many different businesses that may offer services similar to yours, whether they be grocery stores, restaurants, bakeries, convenience stores, or other businesses that offer coffee or baked goods. 

Make sure you acknowledge that these businesses may also be a source of competition. This will help you cast a wider net when it comes to trying to compete for business.

Keep in mind that different businesses may serve different customers who have unique or specialized needs. A university coffee shop, for example, may offer a quiet refuge for study and social interaction, while also serving coffee. Knowing the needs and wants of your prospective customers will really help to get your cafe off the ground.

There are many things you should think about when evaluating the needs of your prospective customers.

Cleanliness

This is a very important aspect of the restaurant or cafe industry, which is why it's listed first. A shoddy and unclean environment will make your customers wonder about the state of your kitchen, cooking facilities, and cafe equipment. Thus, it's important to keep things clean and neat. Don't clutter your establishment with too many decorations, as it creates a messy look rather than a streamlined, minimalist appearance, which is what you should aim for. You can still express yourself, but try to do it within reason. Customers will be more attracted to a neat and clean look. But make sure not to go overboard! A relaxed and informal atmosphere can still exist without all the dust.

Be Consistent

The coffee, baked goods, and other items that you offer at your cafe should be consistent. They should have the same taste and texture every time to ensure repeat customers. There is nothing worse than finding something you really like, only to come back later and find it has completely changed. Customers value consistency, so make sure that your recipes do not vary too much from batch to batch, and that your service and your products are consistent.

When you look at your competitors for ideas, see what they are doing for consistency. Are their flavours and services relatively stable over time, or do they change so much that you never know what you are getting? You can get clues from your competitors on what you can do to be consistent and create loyal customers.

Value

Of course, customers are going to look for the best value for their money. Even if you make the best coffee in the world, you're not going to get very far if you're charging $50 a cup.

When running a cafe you need to find out what your competitors charge, and be prepared to adjust your pricing based on the market value of what you offer.

For a customer, the value that they perceive isn't just about the taste of the coffee. Customers also factor in convenience, speed of service, comfort, and customer service when it comes to determining the value of their experience.

You have to decide how to give your customers the best value for what they are paying for. Some people prefer inexpensive items and a great cost, and others don't mind paying a bit more for premium coffee. Do your research to find out what people want, and then give it to them!

Convenience

For coffee shops and cafes, convenience is very important. Some customers will want to relax in your cafe for hours, working or writing while sipping coffee. Many people will want to grab their coffee to-go before heading off to another hectic day at the office. 

Your job is to figure out how to offer fast service with a convenient location. And don't forget about your store hours! If your store hours are not convenient, customers may well decide to go elsewhere.  

To stay ahead in the coffee game, find out how to offer cleanliness, consistency, value, and convenience to your customers. Also, look to your competition and see what they are offering. This will help you to fill gaps that may be lacking in your community

Finding Good Quality Furniture at a Cheap Price

Furnishing a home can be a quite expensive ordeal. When you don't have a lot of money buying cheap furniture may be the only option but you should always aim to find good quality at bargain prices. The price you pay for furniture is easily determined as time passes. A good quality table which comes with a mid-range price is expected to last much longer than the ten dollar table you found at a bargain basement.

In many cases with furniture, you get what you pay for when you buy cheap furniture; it can look odd with the rest of your home, it can break quite easily and is not expected to last long.

Many discount stores, such as dollar stores, offer cheaply made furniture items. You may even find some in many charity stores. Buying furniture in places like these is not really recommended. Cafe Style Furniture. It doesn't really make sense to buy an expensive TV only to put it on a cheap unit does it? No it doesn't. Although you can sometimes pick up a good item for lesser price, it's best to avoid discount stores if you’re looking for quality furniture.

You'll have more luck going straight to a furniture dealer. I decorated my lounge room that way. I also picked up a great coffee table for cheap but you know they are of good quality. Low prices are about the only good thing about cheap furniture. Great bargains for good quality are easy to find and anyone can get one.

Salespeople are always happy to assist you with your purchase at a furniture store so they earn a commission. You shouldn't be bothered by it if they work hard to help you. Always check out the clearance area. Cafe Tables and Chairs. Clearance areas can be filled with off season stock or ex display stock. You may have to hunt a little here but you can really find great furniture at lower prices. It doesn't always come with a warranty though but the items are usually good quality.

You can also find good furniture when you buy it second hand. I probably wouldn't buy a second hand mattress or well-worn sofa but you can still find other good quality furniture at garage sales or classified ads. Aside from those items, second hand furniture may just need to be refinished or cleaned. 

Buying a Cafe Chairs: Top 5 Mistakes Not to Make

There are 5 common mistakes that most cafe owners and managers make when shopping for their cafe chairs around the world. Those mistakes are deeply rooted in our social order, traditions, and perceptions created by mass marketing techniques.

1. Looking for Brand

Many buyers around the world look for brand rather than functionality. It starts with peer pressure in early stages (high school) and continues to live with the entrepreneur till the day he decides to buy those cafe chairs for his pub. How does brand fit into this?

Cafe owners will find themselves looking for a brand they've seen on a famous website, or even featured on Oprah as one of the best brands for the year. This is one of the biggest mistakes, since cafe owners end up with chairs that do not fit their pub's theme, design, layout, etc.

There are two key elements to consider for you not to fall into the "brand trap" as many experts call it: price and its effect.

Price does not convey functionality and quality, no matter how much we'd love to think so. You can buy a couch for a $200 and have it at your pub for more than 2 years, and you can buy a $1000 couch that gets torn the first minute a customer moves (those studded jeans can seriously damage your chairs).

The second thing to consider is to the need to prioritize. This falls under the effects factor, since buying expensive furniture will only leave you short on money to focus on other factors such as machines, decoration, etc. It is important for the buyer to remember that brands can be quite heavy on the budget, whereas run-of-the-mill cafe chairs can bring excellent results without leaving you broke.

2. Picking the Wrong Colors

Many post-modern design enthusiasts might tell you: there is no wrong or right when it comes to colors. However, mixing colors can bring unwanted results if done haphazardly. Commercial Outdoor Furniture. Many people will stop going to a pub simply because the colors are an eye sore: too bright, or too dark and gloomy.

One mistake under this category is to pick random colors under the assumption that it will create a "Modern" or "Hip" look. Randomness for modernity is an image enforced by the media, yet any design expert can tell you not all colors can be harmonious in relation to your cafe's setting and theme.

On the other hand, many cafe owners tend to overmatch colors, making their cafe look very monotonous. You come across many cafes in which the curtains match the color of the chairs' cushions, and the tables match the color of the wallpaper. Not only does this technique convey a very orderly and proper atmosphere, this also creates boredom for the eye, your customer will find himself falling asleep.

3. Picking the Wrong Textures

Textures are one of the most important aspects when picking your cafe chairs. Wrong textures make customers less willing to visit your pub for two reasons: discomfort and fear. You might think this is such a huge statement to make, however; let's examine such claims.

Some textures can cause discomfort for your customer during certain seasons and settings. If your pub is located in an area known to go through at least 3 heat waves every year, picking leather for your cafe chairs might not be a wise choice, since it will scorch your customer's skin. This will lead to extreme discomfort and dissatisfaction with your cafe.

Another aspect in relation to textures is how your cafe chair's texture it fits with your customers' lifestyle. If your cafe is located near a construction site, you can expect your customers' to carry around a lot of dust and stains. A customer might feel self-conscious sitting on sensitive fabrics that might stain easily. This usually calls for more durable, stain friendly textures that won't leave your customer self-conscious about sitting and moving about.

4. Picking the Wrong Design

Picking the wrong design for your cafe chairs can also create a lot hassle in the future. Wrong designs also rely on the environment in which your cafe is located. Chairs with intricate engravings tend to be "dust gatherers" and will require your staff to clean them frequently and carefully; do you really want your customer to look at the dusty edges while enjoying his time?

Another design mistake is to pick eccentric designs that haven't been tested before. So you might think that Swivel Egg chairs will make a perfect leap in design: modern and hip. However, eccentric designs don't fare well on the long run. In case of damage, you'll find that their maintenance cost and time is expensive and troublesome. Cafe Furniture Suppliers. You should opt for cafe chairs that won't get damaged easily, and if they do, won't require a professional to fix them - professional maintenance is very expensive nowadays. Pick ones you can easily fix while sipping a g cup of coffee before opening hours.

5. Picking the Wrong Shape or Height

Bearing in mind your customer's lifestyle is one of the most basic elements of picking size and height of your chairs. If your customers are relatively of average height, there's no reason to bring cafe stools that would take forever to climb on.

In conclusion, cafe owners should think about the consequences behind every purchase, since all those mistakes can be easily avoided once you have your customers' lifestyle and area's background in mind. Conducting a simple survey before re-decorating is one helpful way to determine the perfect choice of cafe chairs. Buying cafe chairs should conducted after some time of careful research and customer observance