For more than 20 years we have supplied speciality coffee, commercial coffee machines and full servicing support to cafés, gyms and businesses across the East midlands. With in house Q-Graders, roasters and experienced engineers, quality has always been at the heart of what we do.
But quality coffee and reliable engineering are only part of the story. For us, customer experience is what truly sets us apart.
The challenge we struggled to fix
For a long time, we had a simple problem that refused to go away.
Our engineers needed to call customers to let them know when they would arrive for installations, servicing or repairs. It sounds straightforward. In reality, it just did not happen consistently. When engineers are driving between appointments, picking up the phone is the last thing on their mind.
In addition, the younger members of the team preferred apps and texts to phone calls, and the process relied too heavily on memory and goodwill.
The consequences were frustrating. We would occasionally arrive at cafés that had already closed early, or turn up when customers were not ready. It was rare, but it was enough to matter.
At the same time, we faced another issue. Despite years of excellent service, we had only collected five Google reviews in five years. We knew we were doing a good job, but potential customers had no easy way of seeing that.
Finding the right solution
Gavin came across Fintrano through a conversation with its founder, Iain Row. After years of trying to improve communication manually, the idea of automating it felt like common sense.
Fintrano sends automated SMS messages to confirm appointments, remind customers the day before and notify them when the engineer is on the way. Customers can see exactly when we are due to arrive.
For us, it was about perceived quality. Professional companies communicate clearly. They tell you when they are coming and they turn up as promised.
The platform also sends automatic review requests as soon as a job is completed, when customers are at their happiest. That small change has made a significant difference.
We now use Fintrano for both service visits and sales appointments. Getting started was straightforward. Our salesman, Adam, set himself up independently within a few months of us adopting the system.
The results we have seen
The impact was immediate.
Since introducing Fintrano, we have had no wasted visits. Customers know when we are arriving and can plan accordingly. The awkward conversations about not knowing what time we would be there have disappeared.
The change in online reviews has been just as striking. We moved from five reviews in five years to 30 reviews within a year. The process no longer depends on someone remembering to ask. It happens automatically, at exactly the right moment.
At £25 per month for around six or seven jobs a week, the value is clear. If you care about being seen as a quality operator, it is a small investment for a significant improvement in professionalism.
Today, Fintrano is part of how we deliver the standard we have always aimed for. If it were taken away, our customer experience would be just that little bit less polished.
And that is not a compromise we are willing to make.
What our customers think...
Great experience buying coffee here. Really helpful and personal experience, even when just buying home quantities.
Very good quality beans, lovely staff and got a little tour of the roastery while I was there. Highly recommend!
Just received this coffee (Guatemala La Nueva Era) through the post and have to say it tastes amazing! Highly recommend.
I tried several roasters but the one that came through streaks ahead of all the others was Coffee Central. The service is as good as if I was their best customer.
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