Is EspressGo killing the coffee shop experience?

If you’ve been on LinkedIn recently you’ve probably seen that meme. The one that goes:

That got me thinking. With EspressGo, are we going to kill the coffee shop experience? When a critical mass of people start using EspressGo, and not waiting for coffee becomes the norm, how will that affect the coffee shop industry as a whole?

Having thought about it, I believe that EspressGo isn’t a threat to the coffee shop experience, in fact, it’s the opposite. That’s what makes us different and here’s why.

Like Netflix and Apple, we are using technology to improve the customer’s experience of buying coffee.

With EspressGo, it’s easy. You order your coffee from your favourite coffee shop through the app, you pay for it through the app, then you go to the coffee shop and your order is waiting for you. You don’t have to queue to order and pay.

Queuing for coffee is part of the coffee shop experience I believe we can do without.

What makes EspressGo different is its intention is to grow business for coffee shops, not take business away. We make it easy for a customer to find a coffee shop and order a coffee. We also make sure they go in and collect it themselves.

Once they’re through the door, they’re in the hands of the coffee shop. The shop has the opportunity to delight their customer with their fabulous coffee and sociable ambience. They also have the opportunity to sell them a snack, or even a second cup of coffee. If everything goes well, the customer will return to that shop again and again.

The convenience of the EspressGo app means our customers will use a coffee shop that’s signed up with EspressGo over one who isn’t. We give our partner shops an opportunity to win a loyal new customer, every time. We also use loyalty bonuses and referral schemes to exponentially grow that customer base.

We’re not cannibals. If we win, our partner shops win too.

At EspressGo, we work with incredible independent coffee shops in London. We help them take on the big chains that you see everywhere. We’re on the side of great coffee, great service from distinctive characters.

I’m relaxed in the knowledge that EspressGo won’t kill anyone. If we win, everybody wins.

EspressGo is available to download on the Google play and App Store. Your first coffee is free, give it a go, let me know what you think.

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