Fast Counter Billing for Cafés on Ganesh Chaturthi with Ferbz

Below is a step‑by‑step walkthrough of the exact screens and clicks you would use on a busy Saturday morning in London’s Brick Lane, when the Ganesh Chaturthi crowd is lining up for a chai‑latte and a samosa combo. The example business is Bengal Brew Café, a family‑run spot that serves 150‑200 customers per day during the festival.

1. Prepare the Customer List (once, before the day starts)

1. From the left‑hand navigation select Customers.
2. Click Import CSV and upload a file containing the mobile numbers of regulars you have collected over the past year.
3. Ferbz automatically creates a profile for each entry, showing fields for Name, Phone (WhatsApp), Last Order Date, and Notes.
4. Tag the imported customers with a custom label GaneshChaturthi2024 – this tag will be used later to filter broadcasts or automation.

2. Set Up the “Order Complete” Automation (once, before the festival)

1. Go to the Automation tab.

2. Click Create New Journey and type the plain‑English goal: “Send a thank‑you WhatsApp message and a 10 % off coupon to every customer who buys a combo on Ganesh Chaturthi.”

3. Ferbz’s AI drafts a three‑step flow:

   Trigger: Order completes → Condition: “Item contains ‘Combo’ and Order date is within 01‑09‑2024 to 10‑09‑2024”.
   Wait: 0 minutes (instant).
   Message 1: “Thanks for choosing Bengal Brew’s Ganesh Chaturthi combo! Here’s a 10 % off coupon for your next visit – use code GCH2024.”
   Branch: If the customer clicks the coupon link, add a Tag “CouponUsed”.

4. Review the drafted messages on the visual canvas, replace the placeholder text with your own branding, and click Activate.

All messages will be sent through the official WhatsApp Business API, so you do not need to manage QR codes or personal numbers.

3. Ring Up an Order at the Counter

1. When a patron steps up, the barista opens Ferbz and selects Billing → New Sale.

2. In the Customer field, start typing the patron’s name or phone number. If the customer is new, click Add New Customer, fill in Name and Phone (WhatsApp), then save.

3. Add items from the menu list:

   • Ganesh Chaturthi Combo – £7.50
   • Extra Espresso Shot – £0.80 (optional)

4. The Subtotal updates automatically. Ferbz applies any VAT rules that are configured in the system (refer to HMRC guidance for exact rates).

5. Click Checkout. Ferbz instantly creates a PDF receipt, stores it, and shows a Share via WhatsApp button.

4. Send the Receipt and Trigger the Reminder

1. Press the WhatsApp icon next to the receipt link.

2. A preview of the message appears:

   “Your receipt from Bengal Brew Café – https://receipt.ferbz.com/abc123 – thank you for your order!”

3. Click Send. The message is dispatched from your verified WhatsApp Business number.

At this moment, the Automation journey you activated in step 2 recognises the “order completes” event, checks that the order contains the Ganesh Chaturthi Combo, and queues the thank‑you coupon message.

5. Monitor the Reminder Board

1. Navigate to Reminders board from the main menu.

2. You will see a new entry:

   Customer: Aisha Khan
   Order: Ganesh Chaturthi Combo
   Status: Sent (WhatsApp)
   Next Action: Coupon message scheduled for 0 min

3. As the coupon message is sent, the status changes to Delivered and then Read once Aisha opens it.

If the message fails (e.g., the number is not on WhatsApp), the board flags it in red, allowing you to follow up manually.

6. Run a Broadcast (optional, on the final day)

On 10 September, Bengal Brew wants to remind everyone who bought the combo to use their coupon before it expires.

1. Go to Broadcasts → New Broadcast.

2. Filter the audience: Tag = GaneshChaturthi2024 AND Tag ≠ CouponUsed.

3. Compose the message:

   “Your 10 % off Ganesh Chaturthi coupon expires tonight! Use code GCH2024 at checkout.”

4. Schedule the send for 17:00 BST.

5. After sending, the broadcast stats appear on the same page – Sent: 142, Delivered: 138, Read: 95.

All of these actions draw credits from your prepaid wallet, so you can see exactly how many credits each reminder or broadcast consumed in the Reports section.

Worked Example Summary

By the end of the festival, Bengal Brew processed 176 combo orders, sent 176 receipts, 176 automated coupon messages, and a single broadcast to the remaining 42 customers who hadn’t used their coupon – all tracked in one dashboard.

Before Ferbz, a café like Bengal Brew would have relied on a separate POS register, a handwritten list of phone numbers, and a manual spreadsheet to note who bought the Ganesh Chaturthi combo. The staff would need to:

• Write down the customer’s name and mobile number on a receipt slip.
• Later type that number into a personal WhatsApp to send a thank‑you.
• Manually calculate when the 30‑day win‑back window opened and set a reminder on a calendar.

That workflow typically adds 45 seconds per transaction and leaves room for human error – missed numbers, forgotten follow‑ups, or duplicated messages. Over a 200‑order day, that equals ≈ 2.5 hours of lost serving time and a high risk of losing repeat business.

With Ferbz’s counter billing:

• The receipt and WhatsApp link are generated instantly, shaving ≈ 30 seconds off each order.
• The automation engine enrolls the customer automatically, eliminating the need for a separate reminder‑setting step.
• All messages are sent from a verified business number, ensuring higher delivery rates and compliance with WhatsApp policies.
• The Reminders board gives real‑time visibility; if a message fails, the manager can intervene within minutes rather than discovering the gap days later.

Quantitatively, Bengal Brew saved ≈ 1.75 hours of staff time during the nine‑day festival, and the 10 % coupon campaign generated an additional £1,842 in revenue (176 coupons redeemed at an average spend of £10.45 each). Moreover, the post‑festival broadcast reclaimed £420 from customers who otherwise would have let the coupon lapse.

The result is a tighter feedback loop: every order becomes a data point, every follow‑up is guaranteed, and the café can focus on serving coffee rather than chasing spreadsheets.

Ready to streamline your counter billing for cafés during Ganesh Chaturthi and keep every regular coming back? Sign up for a free trial, top up your credit wallet, and start building your first automation in minutes. Visit the dashboard at https://dashboard.ferbz.com/ or drop us a line at support@ferbz.com for a quick walkthrough. Your next cup of coffee—and the next cup a customer orders—starts with Ferbz.