The design and look of a property plays a crucial role in the overall customer experience and it's that experience that keeps the customer loyal and coming back for more.
"The great news about coffee and hot drinks is that you can create real theatre around them, so that the customer is set up and primed for an experience before they even taste the product," says Aimee Hughes from First Choice Coffee.
Consumers buy with their eyes, and if they walk into an establishment and see a shiny, quality coffee machine, whether it's traditional or automatic, behind the bar, they are far more likely to order a coffee than if the coffee machine is back of house.
"The frustrating thing is that a lot of hotels, restaurants and pubs, shoe-horn their coffee equipment into the kitchen, when they should have it front of house to reassure the customer that the coffee is of high quality. By seeing a drink being hand-prepared, it makes the customer feel valued, as they can see the care and attention that has gone into their drink," says Stephen Brecher.
"Even if coffee is not the core offer, it is one of the biggest profit drivers if done properly and should be given the same level of importance as the food, wines and beers. After all, coffee is usually the last thing a customer will consume, so needs to reflect the rest of the experience," he continues.
"At the Wild Wood in Bristol, the traditional Victoria Arduino machine is at the end of the bar right in front of the window to attract passers-by. It's a real show-stopper and customers know just by looking at the machine they can expect a great cup of coffee. Of course, it's not as simple as that - the machine is just one part of the package, but it is the most important part," comments Aimee.
The coffee machine should be the centre of your hot beverage offer but everything around it should also reflect the quality of your coffee.
Think about the cups, the sugar, the finishing touches - every element plays a role in the look of the offer and the "look" is what encourages customers to buy. When the look is followed by great taste, the customer will keep coming back for more.