“As always? Coffee with lactose-free milk and a glass of warm water,” the barista at the newly opened Shu coffee shop says with a smile. And this is only the third time I’ve been there. Kyiv has a chance to become a coffee Mecca for pilgrims from Europe. Even now, during the war, a new coffee shop opens regularly. And what kind of boom will happen when Ukraine wins? The choice is there, and it’s getting bigger. All other things being equal, in which coffee shop will I end up? Certainly, where I am welcomed. I wonder if there is only one such barista in Shu or the rest like him. Depends on whether the business has a Master and a System. Time will tell.
This is an example of how competitive advantage in the commodity category is literally born out of nothing. There are several others around this coffee shop that are similar to each other. However, in one of them, even for the hundredth time you will be served politely, qualitatively, but, alas, soullessly. And in the other, there is a feeling of discomfort, like a tourist who interrupted a ritual at church. Right now I’m spontaneously advertising a certain cafe for free. Why? Because in the service business, the human factor decides everything.
It is not easy, but it is possible to set up processes in such a way that ingredients are of high quality, prices are reasonable, and the final product is delicious. It is more difficult to achieve that the customer experience is reproduced steadily, without “pits”. People, on the other hand, are both the greatest challenge and the greatest potential. This is true for a premium consulting company such as McKinsey, and for a tiny coffee shop, dreaming of growing into a successful chain. Well, how to motivate a Harvard graduate with a six-figure annual salary is clear, but try to keep trendy and communicative young people in SME business, much less “inspire” them to remember what guests like. That’s where the real art is! First of all, it is a matter of selecting those who cannot help but love people and give them joy.
Sincerely yours,
-Alexander
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As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.