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TAKING THEIR ORDERS continued from page 45 Stroud simply asked the members of the group what bothered them. Many cited a lack of food choices, and that perspective led Stroud to create the shop's first food menu. Today, food represents 40 percent of Village Coffee's total sales. Stroud continues to alter her café's menu on a quarterly basis. Before unveiling new items, she'll invite her 15 CAB members to a taste test. There, Stroud's crew of customers will assess their intent to buy and recommend potential side pairings. "I feel that the more buy-in I get from customers, the more likely I'll be successful long term," she says, adding that these gatherings also generate wordof-mouth buzz. NINE STEPS TO FORMING AND RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL CUSTOMER ADVISORY BOARD RECRUIT MEMBERS WISELY. A five-to-eight-person board will be adequate for most independent shops. Members should represent different demographics—including age, gender, professional skills and visit frequency— and should have the ability to interact well with their fellow customers. SET EXPECTATIONS. When recruiting, clearly outline the time commitment and roles CAB members will play. A year's time commitment is reasonable— that period won't be too much of a burden on one's schedule but should provide enough time for the company to get fresh ideas from the customer. ESTABLISH GROUND RULES. Define what the CAB is, what it can do and what it is charged with accomplishing. Furthermore, establish early on that while the CAB's perspective will be taken into account, any decisions will be made at the discretion of ownership. PREPARE. Think through the issues you want to address in advance of each session. Structured meetings, including a pre-meeting agenda distributed to board members, will allow participants to prepare and produce a more effective meeting. KNOW YOUR ROLE AND KNOW THE GOAL. Operators are often best served by being present in a listening capacity rather than serving as the meeting's facilitator. This helps the operator retain a focus on content. MAINTAIN DIRECTION. Find a moderator who has the ability to keep the group on task and quickly redirect discussion to specific areas of need. EMBRACE THE FEEDBACK. During the meeting, operators should take thorough notes. After the meeting, they should then synthesize the discussion, share it with staff and take the necessary action steps. GIVE CREDIT WHERE IT'S DUE. At each meeting, review previous issues and identify any movement. Customers often feel excited, valued and further connected to the business when they see that a change they suggested was implemented. Though industry veteran Bruce Milletto, SHOW GRATITUDE. Express appreciation with sincere gratitude or modest who runs the American Barista & Coffee gifts, such as a pre-loaded café gift card or a complimentary bag of coffee. School in Portland, has seen little evidence of CABs in the café setting, he believes the idea has value. Milletto calls customer feedback "everything" and something he his own office building. One reason for the closure, Milletto actively solicits—albeit informally—in his own Portland café, contends, was the punk-rock music the café staff played in the Water Avenue Coffee. There, Milletto will stand in line like any morning hours. The music began dissuading Milletto and many other customer and engage others in conversation. "When you of his officemates from entering the establishment. "With a ask questions and listen, you learn a lot, including things that customer board in place, perhaps the management would have can help your business grow," Milletto says. "There's such value gotten to the heart of how this irked customers," he says. in asking questions, fielding complaints and listening to what Stroud, meanwhile, says that Village Coffee's CAB is akin to a people have to say." secret shopper program. "They'll tell me if they see something Milletto shares the tale of one recently shuttered coffee shop unflattering, and those extra eyes and ears are invaluable," she says. 46 Fresh Cup Magazine freshcup.com