By Jason Simon | Published 09/30/2009 |
Posted in WiFi Dilemma
Latte Art and Barista competitions, vendors conversing with specialty coffee businesses about their coffees, roasters, brewers, espresso machines, and so much more. Coffee Fest Seattle was powered by splick it, and more accurately caffeine.
While much of the show was about coffee, I was very pleased to talk with a WEBbeams representative about coffee shops and the WiFi Dilemma. As you know, many coffee shops are going to companies like WEBbeams to manage their high-speed wireless Internet connections.
From WEBbeams point of view, coffee shops should continue to offer WiFi to their customers, but it should be managed to guarantee reliable access and a secure connection. Likewise, it can be profitable. Beyond an access fee, the WiFi password protected login page can provide coffee shops a place to advertise, direct visitors to social media links, and gather email addresses. WEBbeams suggested that people who regularly go to coffee shops expect WiFi (free or managed), and pulling the plug can eliminate a specific customer base.
In a recent National Public Radio article, Some Coffee Shops Crack Down On Free Wi-Fi, Cyrus Farivar touches on how some coffee shops are opting to password protect their WiFi:
On any given day, there are at least half a dozen people there [Hudson Bay Cafe], tapping away on their laptops. For a while anybody could get the code for the Wi-Fi network. It was valid for days at a time. But now that’s changed.
Unrestricted (free) WiFi is great, but are you willing to pay? And if so, how much?
As I write this from a local coffee shop, a group of WiFi users are being asked to move to another table. According to the Barista, a reservation was made for this one. Maybe, coffee shops should offer reservations?
Latte Art and Barista competitions, vendors conversing with specialty coffee businesses about their coffees, roasters, brewers, espresso machines, and so much more. Coffee Fest Seattle was powered by splick it, and more accurately caffeine.
Perusing the aisles with Velton of Velton’s Coffee Roasting Company , I was introduced to fellow coffee aficionados who have been in the industry for many years. Drinking coffee from Barefoot Coffee Roasters and Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea via Hario manual drip pour over brewers, striking up caffeinated conversations wasn’t difficult at all.
While much of the show was about coffee, I was very pleased to talk with a WEBbeams representative about coffee shops and the WiFi Dilemma. As you know, many coffee shops are going to companies like WEBbeams to manage their high-speed wireless Internet connections.
From WEBbeams point of view, coffee shops should continue to offer WiFi to their customers, but it should be managed to guarantee reliable access and a secure connection. Likewise, it can be profitable. Beyond an access fee, the WiFi password protected login page can provide coffee shops a place to advertise, direct visitors to social media links, and gather email addresses. WEBbeams suggested that people who regularly go to coffee shops expect WiFi (free or managed), and pulling the plug can eliminate a specific customer base.
In a recent National Public Radio article, Some Coffee Shops Crack Down On Free Wi-Fi, Cyrus Farivar touches on how some coffee shops are opting to password protect their WiFi:
Unrestricted (free) WiFi is great, but are you willing to pay? And if so, how much?
As I write this from a local coffee shop, a group of WiFi users are being asked to move to another table. According to the Barista, a reservation was made for this one. Maybe, coffee shops should offer reservations?
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