One of the tools you are going to need to operate your coffee shop are good employees. You don't want to just hire the first people that walk through the door. Hiring friends and family can create issues outside of the business so many people choose to steer clear of that as well. It is very important that you hire the best employees that will be friendly, offer quality service to customers, show up when they should, and be open to new ideas.
There is no way to effectively run your coffee shop without employees that will be there when they are scheduled. If you start to see a pattern of being late or calling off, you will need to nip the problem in the bud. If the employee isn't willing to change their habits, then you need to replace them. Check with their previous employers and their references to see how well they do with showing up on time for things.
If you can find qualified employees that have worked in a coffee shop before that is a nice advantage. However, don't be so fast to pass on those that haven't done so. They may have plenty of wonderful skills you can incorporate for your business. You need employees that are responsible, have great communication skills, and they are friendly. You can teach them everything else they need to know to do a good job for your business.
One of the best ways to find out what they have to offer is to ask a serious of questions. Make sure some of them are open ended so you can get a good idea of their communication style. Ask them how they will handle conflicts with customers and with other employees. The answers they give you are going to tell you a great deal about their character. Make sure you follow up with references and previous employers as well.
Don't assume that you can just hire an employee and then turn them loose in your business. They may work for you a day and then never return if you do this. They can also pick up bad habits that will be hard to break later on. It is essential that you have a quality training program in place. This way you can be sure they have the skills they need to meet the needs of every single customer that walks in the door.
If you don't have a good training program in place for your employees, you will find your turnover rate is high. That means understaffed to meet the needs of your customers. It also means going through that application and interview process again and again. Employees that are well trained tend to feel confident that they can perform well on the job and they stick with it.
You definitely want to be able to keep the good employees you hire at your coffee shop. To do this, you have to offer a work environment that is safe and friendly. They should look forward to coming to work instead of dreading it. Offer nice gifts and even cash bonuses for good attendance and quality service. You can have contests too and recognize someone as the top employee of the month.
Great help for your coffee shop isn't something that you should struggle with. Not every employee you hire is going to work out well, but be willing to accept this. You will find most people are reliable, honest, and hard workers. They want to be able to show you want they can do so be willing to give them a chance. A good job is hard to come by so make sure you treat all of your employees well. Nothing will run them off faster than a poor boss.