Onlinebaristatraining.com, presented by Coffee Business, is a one-stop training resource built for employers and employees.
When I first moved into my neighborhood, I’d visit each of the four coffee shops near my house to change things up and treat myself to a macchiato. Now, I only go to one of those shops because their drinks are always fantastic, no matter who makes them. I never knew what to expect at the other locations, a decent macchiato or a shot of espresso with deflated foam flopped on top. It goes to show that consistency is key to any business — but especially when running a coffee business. We spoke with Matt Milletto, Co-Founder and Director of Strategic Partnerships at Water Avenue Coffee and Coffee Business to learn how their online training platform, onlinebaristatraining.com, can ensure consistency across your team.
“A customer relies on knowing that no matter which barista is making their coffee, each beverage will be excellent,” Milletto explained. “Education has been the foundation of our coffee bars at Water Avenue Coffee — and quality preparation and training is how a coffee bar can maintain an impeccable reputation.”
As a business owner, there’s much more on your plate than overseeing every aspect of training. Hiring baristas with previous experience or already barista certified isn’t enough to ensure a unified product output. That’s why outsourcing to a company like onlinebaristatraining.com shouldn’t be overlooked in your employment model.
Training programs typically provide all the materials, videos, exams, and supportive resources needed to ensure your staff members have had the same education and are prepared to perform at a similar standard. Plus, it can save you the time and money it takes to create and maintain your own training program, including the oversight and follow-up needed to ensure each employee participates and learns thoroughly.
“There are so many steps in the overall supply chain in the coffee industry, and the barista is often the last person in the chain before serving to the customer,” Milletto said. “There is a lot of responsibility to prepare each and every beverage at its best. A solid initial, and ongoing training program, will help ensure consistency.”
The retailer subscription offered through onlinebaristatraining.com provides your team with extensive training, covering everything from parts of the espresso machines, basic espresso and coffee preparation, latte art, advanced tasting, and recipe development. Upon completion, employees maintain access to continuously updated content for ongoing training purposes.
“For an employer to have a consistent platform for themselves and their team is imperative,” Milletto said. “Employees have 24/7 easy access to hours of content. The retailer subscription gives access not only for an employer, with added business content, but also up to 15 employees at a time. We help track progress, and a certificate of completion is generated upon passing all modules.”
Milletto further explained that employers gain access to “Coffee business” support with helpful information and education on menu planning, employee relations and culture, beverage cost analysis, marketing, and a lot more. It is a comprehensive training curriculum to help you run your business and set you, and your employees, up for success. “Our mission is to make specialty coffee education easy and efficient for individual baristas and coffee shop owners,” Milletto shared.
If you’re ready to invest in a training program for you and your staff, check out onlinebaristatraining.com for a deeper breakdown of what’s included in the retailer subscription. A platform dedicated to making sure you and your employees are trained and educated with a uniform curriculum is essential to maintaining a competitive edge and keeping your regulars coming back.