No more Perks- Changing Coffee Shop business?

Interesting article in the Wall Street Journal about NY Coffee shops restricting laptop use.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1249504 ... wsj_gadgv1

Reactions? Anybody have any thoughts on this moving to Louisville? ( I know bunches of people whose primary office is a coffee shop.)

Deb

I've seen a few restaurants nearby offering wi-fi and for the life of me, I cannot understand why they would do so. Bob Evans is the latest I've seen do this. I would think this would make customers hang around and slow down table turnover considerably. Bottomless cup of coffee or soda, and some people won't move all day. At least in a coffee shop, you buy by the cup.

Todd,
I had the same reaction when McDonalds added Wi-Fi. But I'm guessing there is market data somewhere that said if they didn't offer it they'd lose X amount of business.

Deb

Todd,
I had the same reaction when McDonalds added Wi-Fi. But I'm guessing there is market data somewhere that said if they didn't offer it they'd lose X amount of business.

Deb

Mickey D's is NOT free WiFi. You either pay Wayport or you need an AT&T account. McDonalds would charge for a cup of water if they could get away with it.

But if you need a warm/cool dry place to do some computing, the Mickey D's at UofL is open 24/7 INSIDE, not just the drive thru.

Richard

I've seen a few restaurants nearby offering wi-fi and for the life of me, I cannot understand why they would do so. Bob Evans is the latest I've seen do this. I would think this would make customers hang around and slow down table turnover considerably. Bottomless cup of coffee or soda, and some people won't move all day. At least in a coffee shop, you buy by the cup.

It's about customer service<s>.

I am not sure I would go into Bob Evans and whip out my laptop. I might but I doubt it. I HATE greasy keyboards. A coffee shop, yes I sure do. I am not one to nurse a cuppa joe for an hour or two... in two hours I am likely to purchase three large cups of good coffee. Quills, Sonoma, Sunergoos (tho not often as they are always packed when I want to telecompute), Heine Bros, and yes at times I do use that chain place but it is a matter of convenience vis a vis work and hours.

Over the past few weeks when we have been out for lunch or dinner, almost invariably the manager will come around and ask how things are. The first couple times it happened we kind of looked at each other in wonder, but now, it is almost an always occurrence. In particular the chains are picking up the customer service thing: TX Road House, Steak & Shake, immediately come to mind with it happening.

The economy is beginning to rebound but it is not picking up full force yet and companies, large and small, local and chain are hitting that customer service bell hard. We are at work. Sampling something every day to customers at the checkout lanes from our department and we are expected to sample to customers on the floor all day long. "Have you ever tried a Pluot? No. Here let me cut this in half and you can try it." We had Red Avocados this past week and I cut three of them up for customers and sold 3 times that many. We've added three tables and 6 chairs up front and out doors for customers to sit in. I am thinking now we need to offer free WiFi.

To go along with the above story which I read earlier today, you might want to read this one too. I totally agree with Chris Ahearn, President, Media at Thomson Reuters. http://blogs.reuters.com/mediafile/2009 ... k-economy/ Which is basically a reply to Rupert Murdoch who has said his companies are going to begin to charge for content. That is to say, they are going to be ANTI customer service. http://bit.ly/xgb7L

Ok I have strayed way far off the narrow track of this thread.

Richard

I believe the idea for free wi-fi in places like Starbucks and MickyD's (I used to use the wi-fi at Micky D's for free, are they charging now?) was not so much for locals but rather traveling business folks. The first thing a traveling sales person does when he enters a new town is scope out the Starbucks or Micky D's. That means out of town revenue for them. Louisville lacks the web cafes found in other cities and the added traffic of those users to Starbucks means more $ in their pockets.

We had wifi at Ray's almost a year BEFORE we even opened. The neighbors at Cumberland could use it...

We'll never do away with free wifi. It is essential for a coffeeshop. I've gone to a starbucks before needing a wifi connection (I was travelling) and they wanted ten bucks. No thanks!

I have toyed with the idea of providing desktop computers for a fee. Internet cafes are extremely common in Europe. (I was in Berlin recently, and they're everywhere)

Cheers...

I have toyed with the idea of providing desktop computers for a fee. Internet cafes are extremely common in Europe. (I was in Berlin recently, and they're everywhere)

Nimbus,
I think offering desktop computers for a fee would fly but I just want to point out that one of the main reasons there are so many internet cafes in some European countries is that home broadband connections are not as prevalent as they are here.

I work a lot from home, and sometime I want to get away. I'll head to La Vida Java and spend ~$10 for a couple cups, lattes, snack, etc over a 2 hour period. In return, I have free wireless.

If La Vida Java did not have free wireless, they would not receive my business.

Second Nimbus = Free wifi for ever. Very good added value service that builds regulars (even if they come in an nurse a dubble american for 2 hours they will come back and back and back for the freebie)
Also great service to offer out-of-towners. Can't count how many people I've had come over from the hotel next door and the deciding factor to purchase a beverage is if we have free wi-fi.
As an Ipod touch user I'm always wanting to check in and use location based services wherever I go and if there is no free wi-fi there is no free plug/reccomendation for that restaurant/bar/store.

When travelling, which is often, my husband usually uses Panera Bread for free wi-fi. He always buys a coffee and a pastry. Since he's very picky about both, he wouldn't buy anything from Panera otherwise. So there's a few bucks they would not have made. In certain neighborhoods at certain times of day, Panera has no one in it other than people with their laptops. Each is, presumably, buying something. So, depending on your business model, free wi-fi can be very good for business.

When travelling, which is often, my husband usually uses Panera Bread for free wi-fi. He always buys a coffee and a pastry. Since he's very picky about both, he wouldn't buy anything from Panera otherwise. So there's a few bucks they would not have made. In certain neighborhoods at certain times of day, Panera has no one in it other than people with their laptops. Each is, presumably, buying something. So, depending on your business model, free wi-fi can be very good for business.

Prior to this article, the only knowledge I had of restricting laptop usage was a business trip to Baltimore earlier this year. The Panera I went to ( because I thought they'd have wi-fi), had a very nicely written note upon log-in that asked that you be kind to other patrons and restrict laptop usage to an hour at lunch time if the tables were full. I thought that was very reasonable and nicely done. No enforcement, totally on the "honor system", and there were lots of outlets throughout.

Deb