Bring coffee shop regulars back with AI
Coffee shops live on repeat visits, and AI can notice when a regular drops off or an office has not ordered in a while. It drafts a short, personal note for you to approve, rather than a blanket coupon blast. The goal is to ask, not to nag.
Talk through your coffee shop with the person who builds it
A free 30-minute call. You leave knowing which part of your coffee shop to hand to AI first, what we would build, and roughly how long it takes.
Notice who disappeared
If you use a loyalty app or take orders by name, the visits are already recorded. A system can list people who came weekly and then stopped, so you can write to them.
A simple message works: we miss you, here is the new seasonal drink.
Catering clients need a nudge
The office that ordered a box for a team meeting will usually order again if asked. A reminder drafted a month later, naming what they ordered last time, is easier than a cold email.
Only write to people who said yes
Keep to customers who agreed to emails or texts, and make it easy to stop them. Texting people without permission can break the law.
Keep the note short and in your voice. “We miss you, your usual is waiting” from a person at the counter works better than a polished campaign, and it takes you a minute to approve.
Picture this
Examples of what it can look like. Illustrations, not clients.
A regular who ordered an oat cortado every day for a year has been gone five weeks. You get a draft saying you saved their usual.
An architecture firm that ordered a catering box in March gets a friendly note in April offering to book the next one.
When the pumpkin latte returns, only those who opted in hear about it.
The rules that apply, in their own words
“unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce, are hereby declared unlawful.”
“header information that is materially false or materially misleading.”
Sources
- 15 U.S.C. § 7704 (CAN-SPAM Act): Rules for commercial email: honest headers, opt-out, address.
- FDA Food Code 2022: The model food safety code most states adopt.
- ADA.gov: introduction to the ADA: Accessibility duties for businesses open to the public.
- 15 U.S.C. § 45 (FTC Act, Section 5): The federal ban on unfair or deceptive business practices, ads included.
Talk through your coffee shop with the person who builds it
A free 30-minute call. You leave knowing which part of your coffee shop to hand to AI first, what we would build, and roughly how long it takes.
Questions
Do I need a loyalty program?
It helps, because it records visits. But even a list of catering clients gives you plenty to follow up on.
How often should I message?
Rarely. A few messages a month at most, each tied to something real.
Can it tell who the regulars are?
If you use a loyalty app, take names or have people order ahead, yes. If customers pay cash with no name, there is nothing to track, and that is fine.
More jobs AI can take on
What Westward builds for this
Follow up automatically: the same job in similar businesses