The Best Way To Enjoy Your Time Working A Career In A Coffee Shop

By Author: Kathy Johan
Total Articles: 60
Comment this article

Working in a caf is typically the first ever job for a lot of people and is often a highly exhausting endeavour. Despite there being a distinct lack of mental stimulus, the repetitive and monotonous nature of the job can make it quite tough to cope with, regardless of the negative stigma that has been attached to it.

I had used to work in a premium cafe for almost a year before taking a different job that was better suited to my skill set. However, in my time spent there, I had learnt the best ways to prepare coffee and how to deal with awkward customers, as well as the best way to minimise close down time.

It is certainly not one of the worst jobs ever - the pay might be quite poor, but the work is usually quite fun and as long as you enjoy customer service, can be quite varied. Below are my top considerations for keeping happy and organised in the coffee shop.

Prep: Even though this might seem obvious, it is often wrongly ignored by workers. Ensure that any and all food is cooked, that milk has been topped up, cakes have been cut, sandwiches stacked and fridges are well stocked. Make sure that every single ...
... details has been checked - that there are more than enough coffee beans for the day, as well as whipped cream canisters and hot chocolate. You are generally going to go through at least one of these a day and it can be beneficial to bring another one to the bar from the stock room, as opposed to leaving your position to grab more.

You are a person!: Maintain a happy face and friendly temperament; making sure that each customer is fully satisfied. Small touches, such as keeping conversation whilst making coffee can help to entice the customer back for further business; however if they are being rude or difficult, remain calm, polite and assure them that whatever problem they have can be sorted out †a clever comeback is not the way to go.

Organise the till and behind the bar: Put all coins and notes in their correct containers in the tray and keep all notes face up. This can reduce any potential mistakes when counting money and help to avoid mistakes. Neatly arranging all items behind the bar, such as trays, cups and teaspoons can help to serve customers quicker and basically keep everything under control.

Specific roles for staff: Some staff will enjoy some roles more than others, but it is vital to assign tasks to individuals and stick to them. The first job I ever had was within a coffee shop situated underneath a Liverpool serviced office and it was extremely helpful knowing your daily tasks and roles. Doing this allowed me to focus more time on my specific role and tasks and maximise my potential workload for each day.

Working within a cafe can be a really fun and exciting occupation and can help to guide you on your path towards new jobs, particularly within the customer service industry. It may not be an incredibly powerful position to hold, but it is certainly an important and exciting vocation to follow.