Café blinds become a valuable purchase for owners who need to be able to offer their customers a comfortable environment to enjoy their food and coffee.
Achieving this standard is not always as simple as it is made out to be, as managers can often make simple oversights or have their priorities out of sync with the needs of the establishment.
Given the myriad of choices out there for café blinds, from local manufacturers to global brands, it can be difficult to decipher what features should be preference and where value can be sourced.
Let us outline what some of the most common mistakes buyers make in this market, pointing to a sound shopping strategy.
Overly Favoring Aesthetics
An owner or members of the staff will be using their café blinds regularly during opening and closing stages as well as the shift between morning and afternoon sessions. This places the focus on the need to have an investment that is practical and ventures beyond the simple aesthetics of the material. Customers will have the chance to either invest in a motorized brand that can be remotely controlled from a distance or a manually operated blind that can be flicked and turned according to the time of day. They will also require a degree of durability as the manufacturing should utilize the same principles for outdoor awnings, standing up to scrutiny when exposed to harsh weather conditions and continued use. Café blinds by their very nature are designed to control sunlight exposure, so this should be a central priority.
Overly Favouring Practicality
There will be owners on the other end of the spectrum who make their choice on café blinds simply based on its function. It is impossible to escape the fact that any material presented within the establishment will reflect on the company and the tone and texture of the item will have to be carefully selected. The choices for colour and styling are almost limitless with oils and acrylic paints helping to craft a picturesque look that syncs in nicely to the environment of the café. If the shop is family friendly and welcoming to young children and pets, the blind can reflect that space. If it is offered for high end professionals within the CBD, it is helpful to source a product that ties into that modern tone as well.
Failure of Purpose or Positioning
Café blinds should not be bought on a whim, to brandish a new logo or because competitors are doing it. There must be a purpose to this investment and work as a response when controlling room temperature and sunlight is a front of mind consideration for the manager. These establishments can offer indoor and outdoor seating options and the use of these items will be dependent on these settings, giving the customer the chance to obtain blinds that are geared towards outdoor table arrangements in the sunshine or to cover windows for indoor arrangements. This is far from a one dimensional investment and requires some genuine thought.
Making Choice Based on Convenience
Establishment owners will often fall into the trap of making a purchase because it is convenient. Perhaps there is an outlet that sells café blinds across the road or there is a regular coffee drinker who is friends with the owner and they mention in passing that they can offer a good deal. These examples are helpful, but it should not be entirely informative about market options, prices and standards that will ultimately reflect on the business. This is an industry that is making further strides and innovations with woods and faux wood to metals, synthetics and plastics amid a myriad of colours from navy blue to ivory and white to chestnut brown.