This time, we interviewed Gerardo Vázquez, the owner of Carabina 3030, a coffee shop that sells organic and natural products and items for coffee preparation, such as coffee makers, French presses, etc. The business is organized with a cold bar, a coffee bar, and a store. The café is located in “Ciudad de Mexico,” Mexico. It’s a business with a history of 10 years, starting in 2014.

How did the idea for the business come about?

We didn't start with the business as it is today; we began with the idea of a light kitchen, and we had a connection for marketing coffee. As an entrepreneur, you always have to explore market options. At that time, the profit margin from the light food and coffee business wasn’t enough, so we experimented with other merchandise, and other products that we could introduce into the market, and that’s how we reached the stability we have now.

How do you stay up to date with trends and changes in your industry?

In this case, it’s been through managing social media, combined with getting feedback about the products directly from our consumers, clients, and friends. In a way, personal interaction is very important in this type of business. With social media management, we can analyze where our audience is growing, the profile of our followers, who the people visiting us are, and how the public reacts to our advertisements or posts. We are constantly analyzing the profile of our customers to provide them with the best service.

At what point did you decide that you needed to implement an upgrade?

We started using Loyverse in July 2023. The role of the Loyverse app was very important because, in the beginning, everything was managed through sales notebooks. It was very easy to stop using a sales notebook since the process with the Loyverse app is quick and efficient. When making manual sales, by the time I write down an order, there’s already a line of people, which makes customer satisfaction difficult. With the Loyverse app, the sales process has been streamlined.

What were your expectations when using a sales app?

The main point was to get information to analyze our sales schedules so that we could establish strategies for quieter hours. Here, Loyverse brought about an important change for us. Also, managing the business’s accounting has simplified our work with shift management.

Have you used the reports to make decisions?

Yes, in our business model, it’s necessary to establish production schedules. We manage lists of the best-selling desserts, the quantity of bakery items to have ready and available, as well as pre-prepared ingredients like fruit portions, etc. Loyverse helped us identify the quieter sales hours to invest in production because it’s not possible to respond with the same speed during high-traffic hours, and everything has to be ready. For us, the products must be fresh. The quality of the products and our service is what sets us apart.

How has the process of managing sales schedules to establish production schedules been?

With the Back Office reports, the sales-by-item report, and the sales summary, I have a sense of which items run out and need to be restocked. As an owner, you might think you know your business, but with these tools, you can confirm with certainty. You can estimate daily sales—for example, on Monday, I need a certain quantity, and on Thursday, I need to buy more products for the weekend, etc., and that’s how you manage the production of bakery items.

Also, with the decisions for the future that Loyverse helps us with, such as the need for staff, how many people we need working at certain times, and what kind of customer service or production profile is required—this kind of information is useful.

Could you describe your overall experience when you started using Loyverse?

It was quite simple to get started. One of the things that mattered to me was maintaining stock control, knowing how much I had sold, and receiving a notification to know when to replenish that inventory. Loyverse's inventory management is quite intuitive and easy to use overall. To start with a POS, I did some prior research, and I can say that among the programs I tested and reviewed, Loyverse was the most user-friendly. For the employees, it was also simple, even if the person doesn’t have knowledge of digital systems or technologies—they can use Loyverse and get used to it quickly with simple training using its guides.

How have you managed your relationship with customers through Loyverse’s tools?

To build customer loyalty, we started with the user list, and loyalty points tool that can be accumulated through purchases. This gives us a good idea of how many of our customers are regulars and how much money comes from these regulars. Loyverse also allows us to create promotions or gift discounts for these people, further enhancing customer loyalty.

Was there a specific feature that stood out to you and influenced your decision to choose Loyverse?

In general, because its use is simple. Both the POS operation and the Back Office. The reports for analysis seemed sufficient to me, and in addition to that, it facilitated sales from my Android device. Even though we didn’t have specific training on this type of technology, it was quick to get used to using it daily. For example, downloading reports to handle all the information and conducting data analysis is very functional and uncomplicated.

What feature would you recommend to new POS users?

The main thing when choosing a POS system is that it helps you maintain control of the supplies you manage; this is important for all businesses. Loyverse allows you to define how you will sell the products. There’s even an option to manage items by weight or by units, receive an alert when stock is low, etc. All of these are functions to keep the business operational. One of my favorite tools is the one that allows me to have real control over the cash generated after a day of work, and that’s with Shift Management. You get the report; you can customize it in terms of periods and schedules. This is extremely important for analyzing how the business is working.

In your company’s history, what has been your biggest challenge as an entrepreneur, and how have you overcome it?

Undoubtedly, it was the pandemic because it significantly reduced our customer base, and one way to try to face that situation was the use of social media, transforming, reinventing, and selling through virtual platforms. To be honest, that didn’t work—it didn’t get us out of trouble, it didn’t increase our sales or increase our customers—but we persevered. We added home delivery to that and were able to stay afloat. We’re still recovering, as we are located near a university, and a large part of our clientele was students and professors who had virtual classes and didn’t return to campus. So today, there is a sort of economic reflux in that sense, but we’ve also dedicated ourselves to other types of customers, like residents of nearby neighborhoods, etc. This is still a challenge for us, but we trust in future projections, and with ten years of experience, having survived those days without closing fills us with gratitude and positivity.

Finally, do you have any advice for small entrepreneurs who might be just starting?

The type of business we have relates to local economies; those of us who work in small businesses know how important collaboration and cooperation are among those of us who work in them. So, it’s essential to adopt flexible measures in terms of managing schedules. Often, you’re advised to extend your service hours, but that’s certainly not always the most optimal solution. Sometimes, the solution lies more in being flexible with the hours when you receive the most customers. It’s important to know where you’ll be making your significant sales and, finally, to diversify the offerings you’re making so that your work becomes more effective.