The Coffee Hall and Creamery – N2460 Blog 2

The Coffee Hall and Creamery is a brand new, locally owned business in my hometown of Marysville, Ohio. One of my best friends from high school owns it with her older brother and sister and they have worked tremendously hard to get the shop to this point! I went home this week for a couple of days to watch my sisters play basketball, spend some time with my family, and visit my friends at The Coffee Hall!

Coffee shops are great places to observe others. There are people here on dates, grabbing something quick to eat or drink before work, studying, and/or just enjoying the atmosphere. That being said, multiple forms of communication were being used when I visited the shop.

Verbal communication in this setting is very prominent. In order to ask for a drink or pastry, customers have to verbally communicate what they want to the barista. Then to confirm, the barista responds with the order to make sure it’s correct, asks for the customer’s name and then tell the customer their total amount owed. They then write on the cup what drink is to be made and hand it off to the next barista to create. Once the order is ready, the barista calls out the name of the customer so they can come pick it up. Besides interactions between customers and baristas, people within the shop communicate verbally as well. Couples and friends are having conversations with each other; telling stories and talking about anything and everything. There were also many examples of written words throughout the shop. Signs with information about different products, sales and prices filled the walls and made it easier to communicate when it was time to order. It also took the place of having to ask one of the workers in the shops certain questions that were answered somewhere in writing. Whether it was a simple “hello”, a thirty-minute conversation, or a note on a chalkboard, verbal communication plays a big part in this setting and is important also to the success of the business as a whole.

Nonverbal communication was also evident in the coffee shop. Positive facial expressions are important when the baristas are interacting with customers. The shop is full of smiles and encouraging nods from both parties. I also noted a lot of finger pointing to the menu from the baristas. When someone was not sure about what to order, the barista would simply point and talk about the different menu items until one was decided on. Hand motions were utilized when welcoming people into the shop and when waving goodbye. Many people were also using gestures and hand motions while having conversations to emphasize certain points.

The use of technology has become more and more important when it comes to small businesses. The Coffee Hall purchased a new iPad to house all of their receipts and order information. When an order is placed, the barista simply types it in on the iPad and then prints the receipt for records. They also use the iPad to play music throughout the store and help keep the atmosphere calm and work-friendly. A business phone is located in the back and is used when communicating with different venders about supplies and products and when they will be shipped or brought in for use. Throughout the shop, people are using technology in all ways. Some people just have their cell phones out and are texting or using social media to communicate with friends. Others have computers and Bluetooth devices out while they work on things for their own jobs and communicate with coworkers in that way. I visited the coffee shop during the afternoon so there were even kids from my local high school there with laptops, textbooks and notes scattered on the table, studying for an upcoming test.

I didn’t realize how many different types of communication I was going to encounter just by sitting down at a local coffee shop for thirty minutes. It was beyond interesting to me trying to pick up on and note down all of the different forms that the people around me were using and I’m sure I didn’t catch them all. However, this exercise has made me more aware of the different types of communication and how big of a part they play in our everyday lives.

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