KRAFTON provides the employees with a variety of welfare programs to help them boost work efficiency and one of them is its in-house cafes. KRAFTON runs them in several offices. It would be the best welfare for those who love coffee. There are many foods and beverages from coffee to macarons in the cafes, including some specialty coffee menus that have been arranged under collaboration with famous local coffee franchises. Read onto the following KRAFTON blogpost to learn more about how the coffeeshops are managed and how the colleagues enjoy them.
KRAFTON in-house cafes are busy from the early hours. Baristas here are making beverages to handout free welcome tea and coffee for the colleagues. The cafes are still full of energy in the afternoon. The colleagues are busy talking to each other with their favorite beverages from decaf americano to milk tea. Narae Keum, a product manager at KRAFTON, told us she loves a teatime with her colleagues, while Haansam Kim, who’s also working in KRAFTON as a product designer, said he likes coffee so much that he tries to keep a certain level of caffeine in the blood.
How did you fall in love with coffee in the first place?
Haansam Kim (Kim): I used to have coffee at a very normal level like others. But, I happened to try drip coffee for the first time in 2015 at a small coffeeshop in front of my home and I was very surprised. Because I’d never had coffee that tasted like tea before. That cup led me to drip coffee and now I love coffee so much that I always seek for tasty coffee beans and hunt for roastery cafes.
Narae Keum (Keum): When I was in college, I hated coffee so much that I thought, “Why do people even pay for it?” (Laughter) But, as I started working, I began drinking coffee like others when I felt tired. Since then, I was gradually addicted to coffee and now I must grab a cup of coffee every day.
How often do you drink coffee?
Kim: When I drank coffee much, I had about 6 or 7 shots a day. More recently I have coffee right after arriving at work, after lunch and in the afternoon. I also drink canned coffee much. I guess I drink 4 cups of coffee a day. Unfortunately, I can’t have that much at home since I don’t have free canned coffee there, so working at home is quite challenging for me. (Laughter)
Keum: I used to have a cup of coffee in the morning, after lunch and around 4 in the afternoon when all workers get sleepy. But, I heard recently that drinking coffee at an empty stomach is really bad, so I don’t drink coffee in the morning now.
When do you feel the best while drinking coffee?
Kim: I like the moment when I turn on the monitor and have coffee in the morning, after picking it up at the cafe on the 35th floor. It’s my routine that makes me feel like the day kicks off. It’s also a kind of ritual for me to be ready to start work. Morning coffee wakes up my brain and moisturize my mouth and throat. Morning with coffee is always fresh!
Keum: I drink coffee much, but the most delightful moment is to enjoy with my colleagues, sitting by the window after lunch. Talking in the warm sunlight recharges me and I think coffee strengthens relationships between the colleagues. When we sometimes have coffee with some desserts, I feel like I come up with some brilliant ideas.
What was the most impressive menu or service in the coffeeshop?
Kim: I like coffee the most. Of course, it’s tasty, but the best thing is that it’s free in the morning. I drink coffee to quench my thirst and wake up my brain in the morning, so it’s really good to have free coffee.
Keum: I was very surprised at first when I found my favorite tea costs less than a dollar in the coffeeshop. It’s quite expensive tea, so it’s nice that I can have the tea as much as I want at a low price. Cakes are also very cheap and tasty. The grain cake is especially delicious, and I remember that Haansam said it was so delicious when he first ate it.
Is there anything else you hope the cafe to improve, or you want to show off it?
Kim: It has so many advantages like a variety of options such as decaf beans and lacto-free milk. But, from a designer’s point of view, they are not well exposed. For example, when I want more coffee but no more caffeine, decaf coffee should come to mind, but it doesn’t. I hope those things to come out more. KRAFTON cafes already have many strengths, so now all it has to do is to be bragged. (Laughter)
Keum: The biggest reason why I love the coffeeshops is I can feel that KRAFTON is running the cafes for the sake of the employees. You can recognize it just by watching how fast they reflect the employees’ requests and feedbacks. For instance, decaf coffee beans were added later by the requests. And the other thing I want to boast is that baristas are so kind and warm.
They praised the cafes with smile on the faces as if it were their own coffeeshops. They complimented the cafes as the best, saying “Even commercial cafe franchises can’t be better than KRAFTON coffeeshops.” Then, how on earth are the cafes running? KRAFTON Blog also talked with Dongseong Kim who works on the cafes to make the KRAFTON people more satisfied.
Nice to meet you. Could you introduce yourself to our readers?
Hi. I’m Dongseong Kim of KRAFTON’s Work Connect Team. I’m in charge of convenient facilities like the in-house restaurants and cafes.
What are your duties involving the in-house cafes?
KRAFTON runs the coffeeshops in several offices. I manage the cafes in Yeoksam, Seocho and Pangyo office in general, while planning and organizing various events for them. I also take charge of snacks and beverages provided free of charge for the employees at the lounges on each floor of the offices.
How did you feel when you get to work on the cafes in the first place?
Actually, I used to be a manager of an in-house cafe before I joined KRAFTON, so the work is not really difficult. But, there’s a difference. KRAFTON does not completely entrust the coffeeshops to third-party subcontractors. Instead, the company manages the whole thing from construction to operation. As a result, there are even more stuff that I’m able to be involved in, so I’ve been thinking of how to provide the colleagues with better experience. It was something new when I took on a manager in the cafes.
You must have made so many efforts for the cafes so far.
Honestly, I was an ignorant of coffee. (Laughter) But, as I became a manager, I felt I should learn about coffee. Taste of coffee is the most important in a cafe. After I learn coffee, I found that aroma and flavor entirely change depending on the types of coffee beans or machines. Therefore, I deeply thought about which coffee beans to use and how to use them to make tasty coffee. They’re still the top priority and I have tasting time regularly with the baristas.
The employees’ opinions are reflected even in small features like selecting coffee beans. How do you listen from them?
You’re right. We asked the employees which coffee beans they prefer. Many of them like nutty beans, so the nutty one is the basic option. For others who like acidic coffee, we provide the special coffee beans with acidity together. Moreover, we made a variety of options such as decaf coffee and several types of milk for the employees to customize beverages. We’re trying to ensure that they have the most satisfying cafe experience.
KRAFTON Order, a mobile application that allows the users to order foods and beverages remotely, is also available. It seems to be one of satisfactory cafe experience.
It’s the result of thinking about how to provide a better service. As the coffeeshops are located only on a specific floor of each office, the employees had to move to make an order. But, some might be so busy that they can’t even spare the time to wait. If you use KRAFTON Order, you can order beverages remotely and take them later, saving your time. Also, the cafes in each office are connected with the app, so you can use it in any office.
As you reflect the opinions well, you might have received many feedbacks.
Yes. Many people have already told me, “Service is so good” or “Beverages are tasty,” but I’m asked to add something most frequently. For instance, processed chicken breast in the cafe is requested by those who are interested in healthy diet and in losing weight. People actively give feedbacks, as they know I actually try to accept their opinions as much as possible. It means that they are very interested in the coffeeshops, so I’m very grateful as a manager.
Is there anything you consider as important as taste and service?
I always think about how to make the employees use the cafes more. They are originally built to promote communication between the colleagues, as much as they are welfare benefits for them. Therefore, creating contents is crucial to lead them to visit the coffeeshops. Season menus and collaborations with cafe franchises are parts of such contents.
You collaborated with local coffee brands such as “Coffee Libre” and “Fritz Coffee Company” before and many liked them. Now, the third collaboration with TERAROSA is going on. How did you begin the project?
One of the cafes’ goals is to provide high-quality services at the level of cafe franchises. Then, I happen to come up with an idea to bring them to ours. I met them right away and thankfully they all liked KRAFTON. (Laughter) Thanks to favorable responses, the collaborations were easier than expected and now it’s the third collaboration with TERAROSA.
What do you care the most when you work on the collaboration?
The most crucial thing is whether people will like it, and in addition, I focus on applying the characteristics of the cafe franchises I collaborate with to products. It’s because if I simply bring their coffee or merchandise to the in-house coffeeshops, they would be seemed to be separated from the coffeeshops. Of course, no matter how many recipes and merchandise I bring, it’s impossible to reproduce the taste of TERAROSA in Gangneung, which is the franchise’s main store, perfectly. Nevertheless, I try to combine a cafe franchise and KRAFTON together, as you can confirm it from TERAROSA drip bag coffee. It is a fusion of KRAFTON’s image with TERAROSA’s characteristics specialized in specialty coffee.
What was the most popular collaboration?
They were all welcomed, but the merchandise collaborated with Fritz Coffee Company was very popular among the employees. As they produce merchandise very well, we made many products, using the intellectual properties (IP) of “PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS.” I think the reason why they were so popular is because the IP was well applied to them. I could feel that the employees are big fans of PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS. (Laughter) Of course, I was satisfied with their reactions.
Did you have any difficulties, while working on the collaborations or managing the coffeeshops?
I didn’t undergo difficult times, but I’ve been in trouble once. When I first took charge of the cafes, I overlooked something — the speed. The employees are always busy and they value speed as much as taste. I didn’t know that, so it took quite a long time to make a cup of coffee in the early days. I got many feedbacks about it. Thanks to them, I realized making coffee fast is crucial as much as making coffee tasty. I’ve taken care of the speed since then.
What is your goal as a cafe manager?
I want to make KRAFTON in-house coffeeshops more special. Many corporations run in-house cafes, but I desire ours to be different from them. I hope our cafes to go beyond one of the welfare programs and become a pride that the employees can boast to their family members and friends. If that happens, I will feel rewarded as a manager. And if I retire in a very distant future, I want to run a small coffeeshop. It’s a waste to just leave the know-how I’ve gained so far. (Laughter)
Is there anything you want to say?
More collaborations with the franchises including one well-known for its blue bottle-shaped logo and another one which has 31 flavors are planned this year. Other than that, I’m working on interesting contents that you may find out at our cafes. Those who wish to join KRAFTON can come and check on them, and the colleagues can look forward to them.
