When planning the various services your internet café will offer, you need to think about what services are being offered by the businesses which surround you. For example, it would be foolish to spend valuable capital on expensive colour printing services when your café is surrounded by cheap printing providers.
If your business is situated in one of the few areas in the UK that doesn’t have a Starbucks or Coffee Republic, it makes sense for you to offer coffee and other refreshments to your customers; however, if the neighbourhood is already home to a popular, established coffee shop, then branching into this area might not be such a good idea.
Jason Deane, of internet café chain Quarks, says: “It all comes down to this: what is the best possible service, and you need to be very clear to the last detail what that service is, you can provide for the money you have?” Deane says. “Will this work with your plan? If not, can you raise more money? If not, can you change it? If the answer is no, think carefully about proceeding.
“This market is very competitive and internet access is a commodity, nothing more.
“Therefore, your service has to be different and priced accordingly. Even hugely successful entrepreneurs have discovered the internet access game is not easily won.”