Where To: Experience Love at First Sip

As being part of the Market Research Team for Digital Marketing Solutions, my job was to analyze a Cafés operation from a customer’s point of view. Therefore, on the 18th of August, I went out for breakfast to Café 5 to personally experience its unique ambiance and simultaneously review the menu. The cafés opening hours were from 9 am to 9:30 pm making it available for customers during the entire day. It was located to the opposite side of the strand with a beautiful view of the ocean. The area is a very popular location for people as it is close to the city centre and the beach. Café 5’s considerably-sized sign effectively chisels the venues’ logo in passerby’s eyes, distinguishing it from smaller surrounding eateries. Close by were various carparks making the café easy to access and the arrival very comfortable. Not only does the service environment contribute to the big success of the café but also the products they offer.

Though the café offers both indoor and outdoor seating, the latter proves too tempting for customers as they become enthralled by a beachfront view of the ocean and promenade. At the outdoor seating area customers can look over the strand, watching people walking along the promenade. The Café offers a beautiful service scape with a Parisian touch to its décor and furniture. All the inventory was kept in red, making the design stand out. Everything suited perfectly together and made it seem, as if you are in a Parisian bistro instead of a normal café in Townsville.

Before I entered the café, I was amazed by the extensive ice cream counter at the entrance. I decided to order a coffee first and experience the beautiful scenery outside and getting an ice cream before leaving the café. The ordering process took a little time and energy, streamlined via quick service and resulting lack of a queue. The staff were friendly with a big smile across their faces, making me smile instantly too. I looked through the menu, which was printed in A3 paper and laminated on both sides. I was slightly disappointed by the limited variety of products they had to offer, however at the same time it made it simple and easy for me to choose. I was pleased to notice the multitude of gluten free options, showing that they want every customer to be able to choose from their menu. I ordered one coffee and an avocado toast. The price for a small coffee was 4 dollars and compared to other cafes the price is similar and reasonable. When I went back outside to sit down I realized my chair was a little wobbly. As soon as a member of staff noticed this issue, they responded quickly and took care of it. The sounds present were the waves of the ocean and the conversations around me. Staff members were dressed in a matching black and red uniform and looked very professional. All of them were always smiling and being very courteous towards every customer.

The coffee arrived very quickly to my table in a little red cup with some chocolate powder on top and a little sugar on the side. Before drinking the coffee, I thought it might still be too hot, due to past experiences. However, when I tried the coffee it was perfect temperature and due to the chocolate powder, it tasted delicious. Soon after, my avocado toast arrived on a red plate. I was then looking out for any promotion the café had but I did not even see one poster or banner outside anywhere. I looked online and realized they were mainly focused on online marketing having various social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram where they promote their products daily. This shows that they are trying to target the younger generation. However, seeing how popular this café is, suggests that there is also a lot of word of mouth promotion happening. As soon as I saw that there was a big que at the ice cream counter, I jumped up and waited in line. When it was my turn the lady behind the counter said I must first pay for the size of the ice cream at the side counter and then would be able to choose the flavor. This really confused me and made me a little annoyed, since I waited in line for nothing. This shows the layout of the café is very poor and is not making it clear for the customer of where to pay. A small sized ice cream was 4 dollars which is a standard price for an ice cream. The ice cream was placed in a red little plastic cup with the logo of the café on it. The lady behind the counter scooped even more ice cream into my cup to make up for the confusion that happened which I thought was very considerate.

After observing, I realized the confusion of where I had to pay for the ice cream was the critical incident in my encounter with Café 5. Usually I expect paying at the ice cream counter directly after choosing the flavour. Due to its unorganized layout and no clear sign of where to pay this confused and annoyed me slightly. However, I must say before the critical incident, I had an outstanding experience. Not only have I fallen in love with the coffee but also the physical location the café was placed in.

Overall, I would recommend the café to anyone who is looking for an outstanding product service experience. The service scape, service environment and service materials all contributed to a magnificent time. The product was delicious, the price was reasonable, the people were very professional and friendly and the process was smooth and simple. The physical environment was the main successful feature of the café. Although the promotion was poor since they only target customers online, it is understandable as the café is impossible to be missed when walking down the strand.