We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jose Roberto Alaniz, Jr.. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jose Roberto below.
Alright, Jose Roberto thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One of the most important things we can do as business owners is ensure that our customers feel appreciated. What’s something you’ve done or seen a business owner do to help a customer feel valued?
I grew with a Father that was very world savvy. Pops had been all over the world and always told me that you have to make people feel ok about taking their money even though it was something they wanted. He said its so important to look people in the eye and shake their hand. In todays world where everything is done online I felt the need to not forget this lesson. When the pandemic shut the country down, it literally made our business for us and forced me to rethink this concept of customer service. We decided go personalize every bag of coffee we sold. When someone orders a bag of our coffee I ask questions on the order page. I then translate that info into a virtual eye contact and handshake. I do this by signing each bag with the customers name under “Specially roasted for” and if the customer is active duty or a veteran then I stamp the bags on the front with the logo of their branch. I also include two pennys with a tag that says “One to Bless you and One to Bless Another, and stickers and usually a Honduran dollar bill with a personalized thank you note and a scripture. This is my way of continuing the lesson my Pops taught me about customer service.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I grew up drinking coffee with my Pops at the dinner table drinking percolator coffee, most likely Folgers. When I joined the Navy the coffee came in a plain white container that had a Navy Stock Number and simply said “:Coffee ground”. as I grew up and entered the work force after the Navy I pretty much had coffee with Pops who had upgraded to a Mr. Coffee pot or grabbed a cup at the corner Valero gas station. Up until my 30s this was all I knew of Coffee! Then our daughter was blessed with a son and off my wife Connie and I went to New Zealand to meet our grandson. Don’t ask how she got to New Zealand that is another article all together. So since we were so close to Australia and Sidney has always been on my bucket list well we spent a weekend in Sidney, Australia. One morning while making our way to the famous opera house to take the iconic pictures people from around the world do, I noticed a guy opening this plywood structure that was a tiny coffee stand a few hundred yards from the opera house. One sip led to another and then another and before I knew what was happening I found myself abandoning my wife and quizzing the coffee vendor, who judging from the look on his face was probably thinking what’s wrong with these Americans? What I got from him was, he bought the roasted coffee every Thursday because all of the 8 or 10 roasters in Sidney all roasted on Wednesdays. Then he didn’t grind the coffee until someone ordered a cup. Genius I thought! So when I got back home to Texas the journey to find the perfect cup of coffee began. Two years later my Pops, the one true superhero in my life was called home by Christ Jesus. The following year my Mom and family went to Italy and Greece to retrace my Fathers steps. Pops was in the military back in the 50s and traveled throughout Europe. This trip solidified my love for fresh roasted made to order coffee. When I got home from that trip a lady from church lent me a counter top coffee roaster and it was on from that point forward. Soon I was roasting on a steak grill with mesquite and then a huge smoker pit I build for a customer back in my welding days. In 2019 I ordered a custom roasting machine from US Roasters Corp of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Then in 2020 just weeks after taking possession of my new Harley, It red by the way, the country shut down due to the pandemic. This didn’t really affect me yet because I worked National Defense and so I never stopped working but my coffee hobby soon became a real business and blew up with every one sitting at home buying their every need online. We are still growing and thriving. Our mission is simple; Share the Gospel of Christ Jesus, help our Veteran community especially those in crisis, support the impoverished farmers where we source our coffee and finally roast and sell the Best Coffee This Side of Heaven.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
I think the most important thing that has helped us grow our reputation is the fact that I wear who I am and what I stand for on my sleeve. I don’t hide my love for Christ Jesus first and foremost. Second, being a Veteran of the US Navy, my passion for all Veterans is undeniable. And finally, we produce a high quality product that given the industry standard method of roasting along with our use of Mesquite hardwoods gives our coffee a flavor and an attitude as big and unique as the Great State of Texas itself.
How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?
We use a weekly podcast as well as public appearances and extras in orders to maintain continuity with our clients. I believe the brand we have built around my faith, love for country and love for coffee is what keeps our customers not only coming back for more but also sharing our business within their circles.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thirddaycoffeeseguin.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thirddaycoffeeseguin/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thirddaycoffeeseguin
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/third-day-coffee-seguin
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/3rdDayCoffeeTX
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ThirdDayCoffeeSeguin
Image Credits
Paul S. Safford, Jose R. Alaniz, Jr.