10 Customer Appreciation Ideas For Your Coffee Shop
People are hungry for convenience and comfort. They have countless options to explore and don’t need to stick to one. But there is one thing that they still desire — appreciation. As a coffee shop owner, you’d probably know that competition is tough, and people need more than a ‘great cuppa’ to keep coming back.
In fact, a consumer study by the Macquarie Graduate School of Management found that 68% of customers feel neglected by companies. As a result, a similar study by TD Bank showed that 77% of customers appreciate when companies express gratitude. Providing a sense of appreciation is a good way to stand out, and boost business! Going beyond providing your customers with a good ambiance to relax and rejuvenate, you must never miss a chance to express your gratitude for them choosing you over the coffee shop next door!
Make your customers feel special in every way and for every little thing they do. Act indifferent and you’ll not see them come back any time soon. Let’s get some fun ideas brewing on how you can make your customers feel happy, appreciated, and cared for.
1. Show a little love with a ‘Thank You Note’ or ‘Freebie’
Have a customer walking in for the first time in your coffee shop? Express genuine gratitude and convey your appreciation with a handwritten thank you note. It might be an old school way of expressing thanks, but it never fails to bring a smile.
To add a touch of personalization to it, along with the note you can offer a free coffee coupon for the first-time customer that he or she can use to bring a friend along next time. Isn’t that a great way of ensuring a repeat visit and that too with another customer?
2. Take complaints seriously, with a smile
Thank those customers who take the pains of giving feedback. If your customer tells you that he/she would prefer his macchiato in chinaware instead of the usual shot glass that you serve it in, note the point. Not many customers bother about complaining or giving feedback. They simply walk out without clearing their grievance or complaint.
If a customer informs you about what they genuinely disliked, they are giving you a chance to improve. Appreciate it. Go a step further and make that order free for them, it’ll go a long way in making them empathize and believe you’ll address their concerns.
3. Flare-up some curiosity with events
Connect with your customers in a way that they feel like they are a part of your business. Introduce them to your exclusive art of coffee making. You could hold events where experts come and talk about the differences between different types of coffee. Or, you could do an event where you share secrets and DIY tips on making coffee just like a well-trained barista.
The more educated and interested your customers become, the more love they’ll have for their coffee, and even stop viewing you as just another coffee shop on the block. You’ll shift your perception with them and stand out, and this will keep them coming back for more. You can also use your blog or social media marketing channels to share/promote these events ‘live’ as well as ‘recorded’.
4. Make special days really special
If a customer picks your coffee shop for celebrating his/her birthday or anniversary, there must be ‘something’ that he/she appreciates about being at your place and drinking your coffee. Be humbled for them trusting you to make those special days even better. Write a happy birthday note and offer complimentary cupcakes on birthdays. Send a customized coffee mug to customers who celebrate their special days with friends and family, in your shop, and see them overflow with joy!
5. Shine the spotlight on your loyal customers
Shower your gratitude on your repeat customers with a simple but effective customer loyalty program. A loyalty study by Bond Brand found that 73% of customers are more likely to recommend companies with loyalty programs. Your loyalty program need not be ‘expensive’ or ‘complicated’. It could be as simple as offering ’10 free Frappuccino’s’ for the month as a token of appreciation, simple upgrades on drinks for those that visit you once a week consistently for the month, or just a simple ‘get your 10th drink free after buying 9.’
Go even further, a simple thing you could do is host ‘customer of the month’, ‘valuable feedback of the month’, and other such days to appreciate your loyal customers for sticking around and choosing you over others every time! It’s an easy and inexpensive way of making your regular customers feel appreciated and cared for.
6. Don’t forget those who haven’t shown up for quite a while
Maybe someone genuinely likes your coffee but hasn’t visited for a month or so. Don’t just sit and do nothing about it. Tell that customer that you would love to have them visit again. Send a ‘we miss you’ message to them if you’ve got their details and give them a nudge to walk in again by offering a 20% discount when they visit again. With a customer loyalty solution such as Loopy Loyalty, you can even send an automated message directly to their smartphone if they are close to your coffee shop's location.
Also, don’t forget to ask why they stopped coming for coffee at your shop and mention that you’d do anything to make the experience better next time. Utilize this feedback for addressing anything that you aren’t doing right. Genuinely work towards keeping your customers happy.
7. Get on social and get socializing
A customer just marked ‘checked-in’ on Facebook? Like the update and start talking. You could simply comment with a welcome and coffee smiley. If someone shares his/her view about your coffee shop on an app, blog, or any social media channel, appreciate him/her taking out time to share his thoughts.
You can even feature their review on your own social media channel. Tweet what your customers like about your coffee shop. They’ll love being featured on your social media.
8. Offer midnight special discounts (a free toast would be great too!)
Have customers walking by past midnight when it is cold and windy? Fill their hearts with a warm thank you. Offer free toast or a cute little apple pie with their order. You could have simply offered a discount on midnight offers, but a little something for free always works better than a price cut.
9. Send some swag their way
Send something cool along with online orders. It could be anything — a cute coffee stirrer, funky coffee bead bracelet, or even a tiny little basket with premium coffee beans. Receiving a little something for free is always a welcome surprise. Brownie points if that freebie is cool and cute.
10. Host fun games and lucky draws
We’ll give you a simple idea that everyone would like to be a part of. Host a fortune cookie day when all customers get free fortune cookies. One (random) person gets a fortune cookie with a note in it saying that his/her coffee is on the house for the entire month. Similarly, you could host games and the winner gets interesting discounts or coupon deals for the next visit.
These were a few interesting tips and tactics on customer appreciation that can help you add the required sweetness to your coffee shop business. Remember, a loyal and happy customer will keep coming back for more and bring their friends with them!
