I can’t help but laugh at the main article and the comments found on this Digg article. I fully understand you’re not making much money from someone drinking your cheapest coffee one cup an hour, but is that customer the only one to blame?
As I see it, it’s mainly the cafe owner who is to blame here.
What cafe owners seem to forget about their establishment is how it attracts customers. Here’s a few key things that will let you know why a cafe have a certain type of customer:
- Location
- Type of food
- Type of coffee and quality
- Interior decoration
- Pricing
- Available wifi, games, magazine, etc
In the end, it’s up to the cafe owner what type of customers they want to entertain. Making the cafe look and feel very comfy will of course make people feel very comfy and feel encouraged to sip their coffee slowly while reading a book or writing their essay. Making it look very simple and bar like will make it probably attract mostly people who is already on the go and just want a cup in their hand and maybe their snack in a bag.
Before you start complaining about your customers, look at your cafe and you might understand why you have a certain type of customer; and you might understand it’s not them, but you who brought them there.
cb
03/10/2009
There were some very funny comments there :) and I agree with you. Why would we advertise free Wi-Fi and create a great environment for writing or studying, then say we wish you wouldn’t bring your laptop and take up space? I think these people just don’t stop and think.
I’ve wondered about the bookstores – more and more of them sell expensive coffees but are letting people look at new books and magazines while drinking that coffee. Apparently despite the risk of spills or smudges, it’s profitable, either due to the high price of the coffee or the fact that the bookstore is now a *destination* for those who want a book + coffee. What do I know; I’m just a tech geek. ;)
xen
03/10/2009
Yeah, it seems to be working fine for Barnes & Noble and Borders (AU).
I think it’s the typical business man/woman who can’t be bothered changing or doesn’t want to admit they might have failed to cater for their own preferred type of customer.
I might also be biased as I’m used to the Swedish cafe culture, where you are expected to sit down with your friends for a while to socialise or just enjoy your stay alone with a book. Of course, you do have cafes that expect you do get your stuff, consume it and be on your way, but then that niche is very clear and expected.
I used to go to cafes a lot before, but not much now; but my wife and I still enjoy dining out a lot. By just looking at the business you kind of understand their focus group and what they expect of you as a customer.
Also, alienating customer have never been good for business. ;)
Glad you liked my comments. :)