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Support & Maintenance

Coffee Training Guide

A practical training guide for anyone responsible for operating your workplace coffee station. Use this to onboard new staff and maintain consistent standards.

Module 1: Understanding Your Machine

Before making any coffee, every operator should understand the basics of how the machine works:

• Identify the water tank, bean hopper, grounds container, and drip tray
• Know how to power the machine on and off correctly
• Understand the display panel and what each icon means
• Know where the cleaning and descaling programmes are
• Know who to contact if there's a fault or error code

Module 2: Making Great Coffee

For bean-to-cup machines, the machine handles most of the process. Your job is to set it up correctly and maintain it:

• Always use fresh beans — check the roast date and top up the hopper regularly
• Select the correct drink from the menu
• Use the correct cup size for the drink selected
• For milk drinks: use cold milk straight from the fridge
• Never leave the machine unattended mid-cycle
• If the coffee tastes off, check the cleaning log before adjusting settings

Module 3: Daily Cleaning Responsibilities

Every operator is responsible for leaving the machine clean after their shift or at end of day:

• Empty the drip tray and grounds container — do not let them overflow
• Wipe the steam wand immediately after use
• Wipe the exterior of the machine with a damp cloth
• Run the daily rinse/cleaning cycle if not done automatically
• Log the cleaning in the maintenance record

See the full Cleaning & Maintenance Guide for weekly and monthly tasks.

Module 4: Hygiene Standards

• Wash hands before handling milk, cups, or coffee equipment
• Never use the same cloth for the machine and other surfaces
• Store milk in the fridge and check use-by dates daily
• Do not leave milk out at room temperature for more than 2 hours
• Report any signs of mould, unusual smells, or contamination immediately
• Keep the area around the machine clean and free of clutter

Module 5: Drink Standards

Consistency matters. Every drink should meet the same standard every time:

• Espresso — Rich, dark, with golden crema. Served immediately in a pre-warmed cup.
• Americano — Espresso with hot water. Should be dark amber, not pale or watery.
• Latte — Espresso with steamed milk. Smooth, creamy, no large bubbles.
• Cappuccino — Equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and foam. Served in a smaller cup.
• Flat White — Double shot with less milk than a latte. Strong and velvety.

Module 6: Handling Complaints

• If a drink tastes wrong, apologise and remake it without question
• Check whether the machine needs cleaning before remaking
• If the problem persists, escalate to the machine owner or contact Cafe Perfection support
• Never argue about taste — coffee preference is subjective

Training Sign-Off Checklist

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