BeanScene Magazine

The thought of facing any queue is off-putting at the best of times, but can be especially daunting when you’re really craving a caffeine fix. What if there was a way to avoid the lengthy line-up?

TXT4Coffee say they’ve come up with a solution: Australia’s first free, pre-paid coffee ordering system. The system allows customers to order and pay for their coffee in advance, and have their cup of coffee waiting for them when they arrive at the café.

Daniel Filmer launched the system in January as what he calls a “smartphone revolution”. He says the idea and concept came from his own experience of waiting in long lines outside café doors. It’s taken two years of research to get this system up and running, and Daniel says he’s proud to be among the first to get the system out  to cafés.
With the progression of smart phone usage in Australia, Daniel developed a program where customers can order their coffee from platforms such as iPhones, Smartphones, SMS smart codes, and a web site.

Customers make their order via the TXT4Coffee customer application, which sends their order to the specified café and payment is made using the company’s payment system. The order is then confirmed by the café on their corresponding application, and a confirmation message and unique code is sent to the customer. They can then walk in to their café, quote the code, and collect their coffee.

Customers can even set up their favourite order and save it as a five-digit code. To order, they SMS this code to the TXT4Coffee mobile number and the order is placed at the café.

The system can be implemented in any café, although appeals mostly to shops in CBD areas, dealing with a high volume of orders and requiring quick turnaround.
Operations Manager Matthew Petterson notes the system won’t suit 100 per cent of the market, nor is it designed to replace the sit-down café experience.

“These cafés don’t like tricky transactions,” Matthew explains. “They don’t want to collect money, they don’t want people coming up and paying with their credit card and Eftpos. The transaction for coffee can be the longest part of the ordering process, which can limit their volume of business,” he says.

One concern Matthew recognises is the fear that this system will limit personal interaction, an important part of the café experience. In his observations, he’s noticed that over time café owners recognise their clients as TXT4Coffee customers, which can enhance customer relations.

Some café owners have expressed concern over the potential of false or fraudulent orders. Daniel notes that the company has installed a payment security system, which ensures that as soon as the café accepts the order, the payment is made. This way, if the customer decides not to turn up to collect their coffee, there’s no income loss to the café.

Cafés also have within five to 10 minutes to send a response SMS message to the customer should they not be in a position not to take the order.

TXT4Coffee offers a support manager during business hours should a café need additional assistance.

So far, the system is being made available for free to customers and coffee shops. The company plans on releasing optional paid features in the coming months. For instance, cafés can sign up for a marketing feature that will let them SMS customers to communicate special offers and promotions.

“If you want to market to your customers nowadays, it’s all about knowing who your customers are and being able to reach them,” Matthew says.

The system was first tested in Allen’s Espresso bar in Brisbane and results showed that customers saved an average of 12 minutes by ordering ahead. To date, Allens espresso has over 300 registered TXT4Coffee customers.

For more information visit www.txt4coffee.com.au