World Tea Expo Wrap Up

I just spent three days at the World Tea Expo and am overwhelmed by everything I saw there.

Tea is a growing part of the beverage industry and every year I am excited to see it being explored by more and more people.

This year I was approached by more people that described their concept as "Starbucks - but with tea".   I think it is an indication that tea is becoming more mainstream as a younger generation explores the beverage for the health benefits.

So, what is different between a person that approaches us for a coffee shop or a tea shop?   The biggest thing that we see is that the tea client (in general) is more interested in inventory control from a tracking and reporting side of things.

Why?  Because with tea we look at loose leaf and retail sales.  This typically involves using a scale to weigh the tea by the ounce or gram.   When you are doing this, the need for inventory control becomes very important.  With the cost of some of these teas, even a .5 gram variance can start to add up over time.

Of course, SP-1 has the ability to track and control this through barcoding and electronic scale systems. 

Need more information?   Touch base with us and see how we can help you maintain complete control on your inventory.



Contact us at:
SelbySoft
Mike Spence
800-454-4434
Sales@SelbySoft.com
WWW.SelbySoft.com
8326 Woodland Ave. E
Puyallup Wa 98371

World Tea Expo

World Tea Expo!

This week we will be at the World Tea Expo in Las Vegas!


I'll be there from 6/23 to 6/27.  If you are in town, stop by and say hi! 




Contact us at:
SelbySoft
Mike Spence
800-454-4434
Sales@SelbySoft.com
WWW.SelbySoft.com
8326 Woodland Ave. E
Puyallup Wa 98371

Customers? We can track them!

Do you take advantage of the customer file features SP-1 has?  If not, then you might be missing out on one of the best features of SP-1!


Most people are aware that SP-1 can track your customers and their name, address, phone number but have you explored the other items that are in the customer file and available to you? 


Birthday.  Yep, we track your customers birthday!  Better yet, you can use SP-1 to alert your staff that customer has a birthday coming up!


Email.  Anyone can track an email address - we track ten per customer! 


Multiple phone numbers.  Use a phone number to track past orders for your customers?  SP-1 tracks ten per customer.  If a customer calls with their cell, home, work or any other line, you can link all of them to the same account. 


Multiple addresses.  An address is great for delivery but what if the customer wants it to go to his office or friends house?  What about catering?  With SP-1 you can have up to three additional addresses for catering.


Custom remarks.  A line just for your staff!  What ever you type here is highlighted on the screen for your clerk to see.  










Contact us at:
SelbySoft
Mike Spence
800-454-4434
Sales@SelbySoft.com
WWW.SelbySoft.com
8326 Woodland Ave. E
Puyallup Wa 98371

3 Reasons to use a remote printer / monitor

Have you ever noticed that printer in the back of a kitchen at a busy restaurant?  Or maybe the monitor hanging above the espresso machine in a drive thru? 


Why are they there?   The simple answer is to print the order out right?   It goes deeper than that once you start really thinking about it.  


1)  They are efficient.  It's true, they are.  Count how many steps an employee has to take to hand a receipt, cup or hand written note to the Barista or cook.  Then double it (they have to walk back right?).  Now multiply that by the number of orders you take in a day.  Virtually all of that time is wasted.  


2) Less Mistakes.  Order accuracy is key when thinking about implementing a monitor or printer for a make line.  Handwriting mistakes vanish when using this type of system.   The Barista and cooks know precisely what to make because it is all laid out in front of them.  Additions and subtractions are handled correctly as well. 

3) Theft Controls.  Want to stop product from being handed out without getting paid for it?  While a monitor or printer does not completely stop it from happening, it can certainly cut down the potential.  If you have two employees the rule is that without a paper slip or display on the monitor, you don't make the product.   

Contact us at:

SelbySoft

Mike Spence

800-454-4434

Sales@SelbySoft.com

WWW.SelbySoft.com

8326 Woodland Ave. E

Puyallup Wa 98371


1

Lessons learned from coffee shows

I'm back from a couple of near back to back trade shows and thought I'd share some perspective from the point of an exhibitor as well as what we hear from  attendees that stop by our booth and share. 

Get a Gift Card system.   I'm shocked at how many people are still not using a  gift card system.   I think everyone agrees that an easy to use gift and pre-paid card system can easily increase your volume.  If you don't have a POS or can't afford one, call Mercury Payment System.  Sure they will want your credit card business but at least they won't charge you anything (read free) for the gift card processing.  This method makes you look more professional, helps eliminate potential theft and gives you a great marketing platform for your store. 

Take classes!  Don't underestimate the potential for learning at these trade shows.  Almost every show I've been to has free classes hosted by peers, experts or just people that have something to share.  I still try to sit in on classes so I have things to share and continue my education in these fields.  At the last show I caught a good part of a presentation from Manish at Maya Tea Company on how to easily use tea as a profitable item in your coffee shop.  After every presentation I give, there is always someone that either found a new nugget of information or surprises me with something I can add to my next presentation!

Talk to everybody!  I'm always happy when two people in my booth wind up sharing ideas.  It just illustrates that none of us have all the answers.  If you are at a trade show, remember that part of the reason you are there is to communicate!   

Step out of your comfort zone!  Don't be afraid to ask the exhibitors what they do.  Even if you are not sure that it's something that fits your store now, it may in the future. It's part of the reason that you are at a trade show.   Don't worry about what the exhibitors think, part of the reason we are there is from an advertising standpoint.  You never know where you might pick up a nugget of information or learn something new.

Contact us at:
SelbySoft
Mike Spence
800-454-4434
Sales@SelbySoft.com
WWW.SelbySoft.com
8326 Woodland Ave. E
Puyallup Wa 98371

Coffee Fest San Diego

Coffee Fest in San Diego!

We will be in San Diego for the Coffee Fest this week.  We will be gone from 6/2 to 6/6!

If you are in town, look us up! 




Contact us at:
SelbySoft
Mike Spence
800-454-4434
Sales@SelbySoft.com
WWW.SelbySoft.com
8326 Woodland Ave. E
Puyallup Wa 98371