National coverage, local costs

Case study: Log on and smell the coffee

Broadband expands the reach of The Bean Shop

When The Bean Shop, a coffee roaster and tea specialist based in Perth, Scotland, was looking for a new channel to market and a way to differentiate itself from the competition, it turned to the web.

Founded in April 2003, the company was keen to create a national reach from its base in Scotland, so decided to create a website that would allow it to sell its own roast coffee and blended teas across the UK.

It roasts coffee daily, and its products range from basic coffees to the most exotic varieties, including the world’s rarest, kopi luwak, which is selected and processed by marsupials.

Because coffee deteriorates rapidly once ground, it is essential that orders are received and processed quickly. For this reason The Bean Shop must ensure that orders are taken quickly and the coffee arrives in peak condition.

The company had not had any form of internet access before broadband, but felt that narrowband would not meet its requirements, as it would tie-up the telephone line and be difficult to forecast costs because of time-based charges. Broadband from BT offered the ideal solution. It is always on and allowing the telephone to be used separately.

Lorna Suttie, co-founder and director at The Bean Shop explained: “We knew that the internet was essential for taking our business forward - both for communication with customers and suppliers, and for selling to those customers who can’t make it to our shop.”

“Narrowband simply wasn’t an option as it uses the phone line, so we would be missing calls - broadband provides us with an always on service, which also allows us to use the telephone while we’re on the web, meaning we are always contactable.”

In order to develop the online trading capabilities, The Bean Shop also opted for the Internet Trader Pack, which allowed it to rapidly develop a web presence, and the ability to sell through the site.

The Internet Trader Pack is a simple and complete solution that offers all the tools small businesses need to develop a website, upload images and catalogues and create an online store. It also provides the ability to accept payment securely through the site, which simplifies the ordering process for both customers and The Bean Shop.

“We were surprised how easy it was for us to develop the site from scratch, even though we had very little knowledge of computers. More importantly, though, it is simple and intuitive for our customers to use,” said Suttie. “Having a website has given us the ability to sell right across the UK, and further afield, with customers in the United States buying coffee makers and tea pots as Christmas gifts.”

The Bean Shop regularly updates its website, with the coffee of the month, aimed at introducing customers to more exotic blends and roasts. The Internet Trader Pack makes this process simple, by allowing staff to make any changes themselves.

As a result, The Bean Shop can offer its full range of products to customers, along with discounts and special offers, allowing it to provide the same level of service as it does in the shop and broaden its customer base.

“We knew that broadband was the way to go, but we have been very surprised by the results – we now have customers for our coffee up and down the country, and we’re starting to sell across the world,” concludes Suttie.