Being Consistent: A Tale of Two Coffee Shops

Sarah’s Coffee Shop and Maggie’s Bakery were within a two-minute walk of each other in a bustling community. The coffee shop ordered baked items from the bakery, and the bakery ordered coffee from the coffee shop. They had a great relationship, and in addition to sharing those offerings, each had other items on their menu.

When locals were asked which place they preferred for coffee in the morning, most said Maggie’s Bakery, even though the customers knew the coffee was made by Sarah’s Coffee Shop. For their money, the Bakery offered a better experience, so I decided to find out why. After spending a few weeks in town and getting coffee at least once in the morning, I agreed with the locals that Maggie’s Bakery was the better option. The reason? Consistency.

The Service at the Bakery

Every time I went to the bakery, I saw familiar faces, and usually one of the owners was on site. The person at the counter always greeted me, and someone asked if they could help very quickly. Even when there was a lineup for coffee, staff still asked if you wanted any baked goods and chatted if you were on your own.

The procedure was always the same – get your coffee, add in your own milk, cream, sugar, or sweetener. This allowed staff to serve people more efficiently, so you never waited long.

The Service at the Coffee Shop

At the coffee shop, there were many employees. I rarely saw the same person twice in all the times I patronized the place. While there were many people always filling coffee orders, the staff added your condiments, so that took some extra time on their end. At first, my coffee came with too much cream, so I had to ask how what the language would be to have less cream (i.e. light cream, one cream, a tablespoon, etc.). Unfortunately, not all staff were familiar with the language, so my coffee was never consistent.

Also, the coffee wasn’t usually hot; it was warm, but after half a cup, it was almost cool to drink. I started bringing an insulated coffee cup which helped. I stood in line for a long time because of how long it took to make the coffee, and there was no chatting unless it was with other customers also in the line. On a few occasions, people walked out because they didn’t have more time to wait.

The Atmosphere at the Bakery

The area for customers in the bakery was limited because they needed space for baking, however, the space was maximized in the tables and chairs they used so you could still seat 20 or so people. The customers and staff were always friendly and offered a chair if they were at a table alone so they could sit and enjoy their coffee if they planned to stay.

The product area was replenished regularly with a card noting “new batch on the way” or “sold out” if a particular bakery item had run out.

The Atmosphere at the Coffee Shop

The coffee shop catered to people who wanted to get a coffee and be on their computers for an hour or two (or five!) While they could accommodate 50 or more people when someone was at a table with their laptop, no one else was able to sit there – the laptop took up most of the space. This meant for most of the area, only 1 person could be at a 4-person table setting.

The customers didn’t talk or appear friendly because they were focused on their computer screens, so while there were often chairs available, people chose to stand or just leave.

When the baked goods ran out, the cabinet was bare, and it looked like the items that were remaining had been sitting there for hours.

Why Consistency Matters

Maggie’s Bakery made it easy to be a customer. It was inviting, and fast and I knew what to expect after a while of having the same, repeated experience. When things are consistently good, it’s easy to form the habit of going there. When things are consistently not good, it’s also easy to form the habit of not going there.

How much does consistency play into a decision? Well, Sarah’s Coffee Shop had better parking and was closer to my accommodations, but I still went to Maggie’s Bakery! I wanted to start my day off on a good, positive note, and that meant going to the bakery.

Need Help with Consistency?

How consistent are you in your business – with customers, with staff, with the entire experience you offer? Think about the different aspects of your operation and see if you’re missing any areas where you could improve to gain a more predictable (and positive) result. When people know what to expect, it’s easier for them to refer you – as the customers did for the bakery.

Book some consulting time with Jennifer if you need to work on consistency. You can email her at [email protected] or call/text 613-312-78240

For more marketing tips, pick up a copy of Forward Thinking for Your Business. You can order today at Amazon US, Amazon Canada, or contact Jennifer directly.