Essential skills newbies can learn while starting to work in a coffee shop

Have you landed your first job as a barista? You might be wondering what is in
store for you as a newbie in the coffee shop industry. This is quite a growing
industry today meaning that it expects a lot from you as a barista. Below are essential skills you need to learn to fit well in any coffee shop
and be the reason the coffee shop increases its sales.

1. Communication

When starting to work in a coffee shop, one of the skills
you have to learn is communication. In the
coffee shop setting, you will meet different personalities. You will have to work with colleagues and customers that are new to you. You have to learn how to communicate with each colleague and customer for the smooth flowing of things. There are colleagues that may perceive a particular tone as a command. There are those customers that will be keenly waiting to listen to your words to detect any form of rudeness. You, therefore, have to learn the best language, tone, etc. to use in this setup.

2. Attention to detail

A coffee shop just like any other hospitality business requires a very high level of hygiene. When starting to work in a coffee shop, you have to pay a lot of attention to your surroundings. Make sure that your uniform is always clean, make sure that surfaces are always spotless, make sure that the Coffee Maker is always maintained properly, etc. Never take anything for granted thinking that coffee shop owners or customers won’t realize.

3. Technical aptitude

As a newbie in a coffee shop, you have to learn how to
effectively make different types of coffee, making latte art, etc. You must
also learn how to use, maintain and troubleshoot the Coffee Makers from Coffee Dorks. These machines will require regular maintenance to make sure that they work or rather make some good coffee for your customers.

There are also, coffee making machines that are being bought by coffee shops that may challenge you to use. Ask for help and learn how to handle them on your own, remember, you might find yourself on a shift alone.

4. Punctuality

To become a good barista, you must learn to be punctual. You should learn how to organize yourself to serve a lot of customers without having any delays. Make sure that customers do not have to wait long to be served.

Moreover, make sure that you are able to work appropriately on shifts. If your shift is supposed to start at 9 am, do not keep your colleagues waiting to be released. Make sure you report early to release them and most importantly to prepare well for customers.

5. Sales and marketing.

When you start working in a coffee shop, you become part of the company. It is your role to make sure that your employer does well for you to preserve the job. You must therefore always use salesy language when talking to customers.

For instance, if the coffee machine is down and you cannot serve them instantly, use marketing language to convince them to buy something else you sell at the coffee shop such as a travel mug. This is to make use of the time
before fixing the coffee machine and not to lose the customer to another coffee
shop.

The above skills are very essential for any newbie barista. Learn them and you will enjoy working in any coffee shop in the world.

Author: Ava Jones

I’m Ava, one of the Content Specialists at Coffee Dorks. We’re crazy about coffee and it shows in the numerous coffee beans and brewing processes we’ve tested. We compile and share expert advice to our readers to help them enjoy the best cup and start their day the happiest way possible.