Guest post by Niamh O’Reilly
Successfully growing a start-up business in London can be a challenge in such a competitive market, particularly if you are starting a café or an independent restaurant. In fact, according to Forbes, 90% of business start-ups fail.
So, how do you ensure you’re in the 10% that don’t?
Below we have listed 5 ways you can grow your London start-up and win returning customers.
1. Make Payments Convenient and Personalised
Customer experience matters, especially in the food and drink industry. People expect everything from the vibe and the food presentation to the customer service and payment methods to be as friendly and accessible as possible.
And a customised receipt really seals the deal. After providing a great atmosphere to spend time in, excellent customer experience, and food and drink that went above and beyond their expectations, providing a personalised receipt is the final way you can demonstrate how much care and effort has been put into every stage of the customer’s journey. It shows you pay attention to the small details and we can guarantee it will keep customers coming back for more.
2. Provide a Space Where People Can Connect
When you start an independent café or restaurant, it’s important to remember that you’re selling much more than just food and drink.
You’re selling an experience. After all, there are plenty of reasons why customers return to their favourite cafes. From wanting to escape the stress of the office to connect with friends, by providing a space where people can connect you will see customers return again and again.
Consider adding power outlets near each of the tables and installing a free Wi-Fi connection that customers can take advantage of. While these ‘free’ amenities mean a little more money out of your pocket, they attract more business and help provide a better customer experience. Understanding the variety of needs your customers have and catering to these will increase your chances of success and consistent growth.
3. Offer Loyalty Cards
Offering loyalty cards can be the cherry on top of a great London start-up. Loyalty cards are a great way to grow your start-up business because they encourage customers to return more often, they help you stand out from your competitors, and they encourage customers to spend more.
Loyalty cards don’t have to be complicated. Just be sure to use quality cards that have your business name and logo displayed so they are easily recognisable. You will be surprised just how many people love loyalty cards!
4. Hire the Right People
If you want your London start-up to get off the ground and be successful, it’s important to have the right team around you. While most start-up cafes and restaurants look for experienced staff, we know that attitude makes all the difference. Skills can be learned but without the right attitude, customers won’t come back.
Developing a great team culture where people are happy to come to work will organically move into how your customers are treated. So, make sure you take the time to hire great people who care about your business and the work you’re trying to do. Good training and skill development comes later. First, it’s about finding the best people for the job who will keep your customers coming back for more.
5. Always Strive for High Quality
The best advice we can give anyone growing a start-up business in London is to always strive for high quality. Although this is our last point, it is quite possibly the most important.
You can have the best prices and the most attractive building, but if you don’t strive for high quality in all aspects of your business, you won’t see many returning customers.
Quality should permeate every corner of your London start-up. If you offer your customers a wide range of products, excellent customer service, personalised payments, free amenities, and loyalty cards all at a high quality, your customers will return and next time, they will even bring their friends.
Quality businesses recommend themselves. If you can show your customers how much you care by striving for high quality in every aspect of your business, you can grow your London start-up and see valued customers return time and time again.
Final Words
Successfully growing a start-up business in London and winning loyal customers can take time. However, by following the points we have mentioned above and always putting the customer first, you can’t go wrong. Sure, the competition may be fierce, but with these tips, you can stand out in a highly competitive market.
