Sum up the operation of 13 failed cafes.

1. Your cafe lacks life.

The creativity and theme of the cafe must come from life and be higher than life. Your customers come to the cafe to experience life. If your idea or theme is divorced from life, you will never succeed. It sounds simple, but few people can actually do it. Many coffee shops fail because the coffee theme is too illusory and unrealistic.

2. Your attitude is arrogant.

Although the use of this word is a bit too strong, it cannot be denied that there are many cafe operators or shop assistants who simply do not listen to the voice of ordinary consumers. Ignoring customer feedback can cause you a lot of unexpected problems. Your love of coffee should be your motivation to run a coffee shop, not your ego. If you are obstinate, then the closure is really not far away from you!

3. Your cafe is in a bad location.

For coffee shops, location is everything. The right place is half the battle. You have to make the right choice between high rent and high traffic and low rent and low traffic. Sometimes you'll find a lot of competitors around the cafe. That's not necessarily a bad thing, because consumers who frequent coffee shops are more willing to try new things. Remember that customers never go far for coffee. They always go to the nearest cafe for coffee or dinner.

4. Your cafe is too small.

If your coffee shop is smaller than 40 square meters, your chances of success will be greatly reduced. You have to make sure there's enough foot traffic to keep the cafe from running out of money. Also, don't add more floors. Customers don't bother climbing stairs.

5. You're not doing enough budgeting.

You need to know where each fee you pay comes from. VAT is often more than you think. All goods sold in your store are subject to duty. All the taxes add up to 20% of revenue.

Keep an eye on the funds available in the store and the balance in your bank account. Your pockets are likely to be bulging for the first few months of your business, but as time goes on, you'll find that you have less and less. If you don't budget well enough, wait for the day the bank calls.

6. Your cafe lacks uniform product and service standards

Constant quality is the key to success. You must ensure that the quality of each product, the service level of each employee, and even the opening hours of the coffee shop are the same. Remember, your customers will only allow you to make three mistakes. The first time they think it's normal, the second time they think you're retarded, and the third time they leave you for good. You have to be 100% perfect in serving every customer. If you're trying to get away with thinking 95% is good enough, your coffee shop will be closed in less than a month.

7. Your service quality is too poor

The quality of service is the key to measuring the success of coffee shops. To ensure consistent service levels, you need to hire the right people, train them, and reward those who perform well. When hiring employees, attitude is always more important than skill. Being too stingy with your employees 'salaries can quickly deprive you of talented people. Remember that your customers interact with employees every day and know which employees work harder and which are less motivated. Treat your employees like family so they're willing to create more value for you.

8. The name of the cafe is weird.

Be sure to choose an easy-to-understand name, the only way to catch the customer's eye. Your name must conform to the customs and preferences of local residents, and if necessary, consult a professional advertising agency. Consumers remember loud or funny names and introduce them to friends and family. Who walks into a cafe called Eat Dirt? Don't laugh, the name is real. This example illustrates the importance of names for coffee shops.

9. You didn't do enough liquidation and inventory.

Be sure to do a day of liquidation, a week of inventory. Familiar with the cost, profit margin and production formula of each item, as well as the inventory balance of the item. Control employee costs, pay your rent, and make sure you have a plan for all expenses and avoid gray areas. Be sure to establish a sound management and liquidation system, so that even if you are not in the store, you can control everything that happens in the store in real time.

10. You have no idea how much money you have.

Be sure to personally review every expense and be sure to know the balance in your bank account. If you don't know how much money you have, I suggest you quit business.

11. You didn't give yourself a way out.

Make sure you have a way out. In the course of coffee shop operation, there will often be some unexpected expenses, such as 3 years later your store needs to be renovated, then you must get the money to be able to.

12. Your equipment is of poor quality

Be sure to purchase a good coffee maker and coffee mill. If your equipment keeps breaking down, or if you don't have a regular warranty, you won't be able to keep the cafe running. Be sure to sign a regular warranty with the manufacturer. Once there is a problem, ensure that the manufacturer can go to the shop for repair at the first time. Not only the coffee maker, but your coffee mill and even your kettle also need regular maintenance. Too poor quality equipment is unable to guarantee the quality of coffee lasting stability.

13. Your relationship with suppliers is so bad

Establishing good relationships with suppliers is the foundation of success for coffee shops. Be sure to pay on time and consult promptly if there are problems. You don't pay, they don't supply, and your coffee shop isn't far from closing.

The bar for coffee seems low, but it is high. Everyone who wants to open a coffee shop has to do the preparatory work. Remember, running a coffee shop is a great test for both the mind and the body. Only those who truly love coffee and understand business can succeed in the end!