Located in the desert of Central Washington, Tropical Express is known for bringing vibrant tropical vibes, fruit-filled flavors, and delicious coffee to its customers. Founded in 2017 by Jose Rodriguez and his wife, Tropical Express has quickly become a favorite destination for caffeine enthusiasts looking for a taste of the tropics. Despite gaining a loyal customer base with its multiple drive-thru shops, Tropical Express often faced long lines. To improve their operations and enhance the customer experience, Jose made a crucial decision to switch to joe Operating System, complete with in-person ordering, mobile ordering and built in rewards.
When it came to choosing a point of sale system for their coffee shops, Jose and his team were determined to find a solution that was tailored to their specific needs. After conducting extensive research, they came across joe Ordering System, which stood out from other options because of its strong focus on coffee businesses.
“Many other systems have a more broad focus and we felt like they were more tailored for restaurants and food service and had functions that don’t really apply to a coffee business” shared Jose. “But Joe really focused on coffee shops and the functions coffee shops will need and use.”
In contrast to generic POS systems, joe was specifically created with coffee shops in mind, providing customized features and functions that perfectly align with their core operations. This made Jose confident in his decision to choose joe!
Like many busy small business owners, the thought of switching to an entirely new system was daunting for Jose. "We had been using the prior system for years," Jose explained, "so we were initially worried switching was going to take days, if not weeks to fully integrate into our business."
Thanks to the assistance of their dedicated Account Manager, any worries about a long and complicated onboarding process were quickly put to rest. In a single day, the new employees were trained and became proficient in using the joe system. "The transition was incredibly smooth for both our staff and customers!"
The integration of the joe Ordering System into Tropical Express' workflow had an immediate and significant impact on their day-to-day operations. Baristas found it incredibly easy to learn and appreciated the ability to track tips effortlessly.
"Our team was thrilled with how seamlessly Joe integrated into our existing workflow," said Jose. "We are now able to take orders faster and more accurately, which has resulted in reduced wait times at our drive-thrus."
Tropical Express had previously relied on physical punch cards for customer rewards. However, with the introduction of joe Ordering System's built-in digital rewards system, the coffee shop rewards program, and the overall customer experience, saw a significant transformation.
Customers were thrilled with the effortless rewards experience provided at their neighborhood shop. "Our customers appreciate being able to conveniently track their rewards digitally, eliminating the need to search for and potentially misplace their punch card." It's an experience we can all relate to before we've had our coffee!
This shift to a digital rewards program has resulted in increased repeat business and month-over-month growth in same-store revenue. In fact, more than 30% of their daily transactions are from digital rewards members, putting them on par with the industry benchmarks set by Washington's corporate coffee giant.
With joe, Tropical Express seamlessly implemented online ordering, which has revolutionized the convenience game for them. “Mobile ordering has been huge for us! It has really helped us reduce our wait times in our drive-thru, especially for bigger orders.”
This small town drive-thru has experienced a remarkable increase in mobile orders, averaging more than 30 mobile orders served daily at each location. This provides customers with a quick and hassle-free experience, particularly during busy mornings.
And it's not just the numbers that prove the effectiveness of this new system, but also the testimonials from satisfied customers.
“Customers really like the fact they can be in and out with their orders with virtually no wait times! They love it!"
“Switching over to joe has been one of the best decisions I have made for my business recently!” shared Jose, reflecting on his journey.
He enthusiastically recommends joe Ordering System to other businesses in the industry, highlighting its tailored features for coffee shops, simplicity, efficiency, and customer-centric approach that sets it apart from generic POS solutions.
With more than 30% of their daily transactions coming from their digital rewards members Tropical Express is on par with industry benchmarks set by Washington's corporate coffee giant. The ability to track rewards, streamline operations, and provide a seamless online ordering experience has made Joe an invaluable asset to the business.
Since introducing the entire Joe Ordering System, Tropical Express has continued to experience growth, boosting revenue by 17% in the first 3 months.
“joe has really helped my business be more efficient and has made our overall customer experience better,” Jose states. “As a business, we strive to make improvements to our operations, customers' experience, and to our staff, and I think Joe has really helped us in those aspects.”
By embracing joe, Tropical Express has redefined the coffee shop experience, transporting customers to a tropical paradise with each sip. With their unwavering dedication to exceptional coffee and a focus on customer satisfaction, Jose Rodriguez and his team have successfully revolutionized their operations and elevated their brand to new heights.