Write a Coffee Shop Manual

A complete business plan is the foundation of a consistent customer experience. A clear and concise written set of operating procedures helps train new employees and maintain consistency. It also produces a template to duplicate your success and expand your brand at additional locations. You need a coffee shop manual.

Procedures are the most valuable intellectual property of a business. They define everything from how to greet a customer and the number of espresso shots in a cappuccino to your nightly cleaning chores. The more detail described in each step, the less remains open for your management and employees to interpret. The result is a consistent experience with fewer deviations from the plan.

Develop an employee training manual that includes step-by-step instructions for each job. A separate managers’ guide includes extra detail and other management functions like hiring. An interesting side effect of this process is that you will learn more about your business. You only know what is missing from your procedures once you write them down.

Once everything is recorded, don’t simply lock it in a vault. Return to the coffee shop manual often and make updates to reflect changes. Whether you open more locations, franchise, or sell the business, you’ll want a clear set of documents. It’s much easier to keep them up-to-date as you go.

Here are a few decent examples you can look at for ideas!

Trade Coffee and Coworking, Sacramento, CA

Lakota Coffee, Colombia, MO

Opus Coffee, Gainesville, FL