A generous helping of hard work, a mouthwatering assortment of in-demand baked goods, and the right payment tools are the secret ingredients responsible for the success of this sweet treat empire.
Known as the go-to destination for confectionery that’s the real deal, Tessa’s Bakery opened its doors in 2012 and has been satisfying The Mother’s City’s sweet tooth ever since. The beloved bakery owes its origins to Tessa Dasopatis’s lifetime passion for baking confectionery for her loved ones. The business is a family affair, with Geroge Dasopatis (Tessa’s son) at the helm. As demand for their fare continues to grow, the business has expanded, with branches in Milnerton, Durbanville, Tyger Valley (opening soon), and an online offering.
We sat down with George (accompanied by a plate of delicious eats, obvs), who gave us a glimpse into what goes into the day-to-day running of the bakery.
In addition to the delicious (and important) task of sampling the day’s fare, a typical day running the business looks a little something like this:
Wake up:
Before the mad rush begins, I’ll open the Yoco Portal to do a quick review of the previous day’s sales so I can make sure that everything is consolidated before the new day.
Early morning:
Once the household is up and ready, I head off to do the school run and then it’s on to the office. I have a cup of barista-made coffee (one of the perks of the job!) and get stuck in. I’ll concentrate on admin, including reviewing sales processed via the Payment Link and WooCommerce Payment Gateway.
Mid-morning:
The day is in full swing: it’s time for me to see what’s happening on the shop floor. There are several Yoco machines in the mix so staff can accept payments quickly and easily – no matter how many patrons have walked through the doors. A few corporate clients pop in to collect larger orders; because they typically require a physical receipt they’ll pay via the Khumo Print.
I’ll do some “quality control” aka sampling what we’re serving to make sure that it’s all up to scratch. Then it’s off to the Durbanville branch to deliver the day’s stock and finally our new Willowbridge branch (opening soon) to make sure everything is going to plan.
Afternoon:
I arrive back at the shop, where I’ll tackle the rest of my to-do list, which includes answering emails, photographing cakes for our website and social media, and brainstorming ideas for new products.
Mid-afternoon:
I arrive back at the shop, where I’ll tackle the rest of my to-do list, which includes answering emails, photographing cakes for our website and social media, and brainstorming ideas for new products.
Evening:
I’ll close my laptop for some downtime. We’ll sit down for a family dinner (usually made by my mom). Before I go to bed, I’ll open the Yoco App to have a final glance at who’s been ordering online and which cakes they’ve bought. Finally, it’s time to relax as much as possible.
We use several different Yoco payment tools to help us do business better:
- Khumo Print for high-value in-store sales like corporate orders, where the customer needs a physical receipt.
- Yoco Neo for the majority of in-store sales.
- WooCommerce Payment Gateway for the online store.
- Yoco Payment Links to save customers the hassle of doing an EFT.
- The Yoco App and the Yoco Business Portal to keep an eye on sales throughout the day.
