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Looking to elevate your cocktail game, streamline your bar operations, or simply unlock the secrets of the perfect pour? You've come to the right place!
At Überbartools™, we're passionate about all things bar-related, and we're dedicated to sharing our knowledge and insights with you.
CANDOR OR CANDY
Checking in with your customers is a valuable part of the business cycle. Through surveys, social media, or even word of mouth, it is important to gather feedback properly… and ask for it correctly.
We’ve all likely been surveyed incorrectly before, asked to weight in even though the questions provided were so leading or sugar-coated that it was impossible to generate honest feedback.
Though these types of prompts can certainly produce ego-boosting results, they ignore general areas of concern — the very aspect that makes asking for customer response wholly beneficial.
Without uncovering points to focus and improve on, any survey losses its true insight, the type of information your staff needs to know in order to learn and progress.
Asking customers for help requires the implication that we intend to respect their time by ensuring their answers always lead to a payoff, be it improved service, an enhanced product or a better experience ahead.
Asking the no-holds-barred questions, especially publically, takes guts – but becoming vulnerable, stirring the dust, and opening up to the hard truths will lead to the benefits customers ultimately desire.
Ask how you can better your business, not what a favourite product or experience was, opt for candor over candy!
Candor is that ability to look honestly at your business’s reflection, to see not only areas of light, but also those that shadows cast across the mirror of your customer’s involvement.
Hospitality is about learning and delivering quickly, even if that means sometimes uncovering areas of your business that you would rather hide - it is much better to jump off a cliff and unpack a parachute on the way down then it is to unexpectedly fall later.
FROM PHONE RESERVATION TO RAVING FAN... FOLLOW THIS SCRIPT AND LEAD YOURSELF TO CUSTOMER LOYALTY
In a world where communication is increasingly disconnected, hospitality remains inherently human. At a number of points, our industry has the opportunity to provide real interactions that can turn into remembered experiences within guest’s hearts.
This personal nature, expressed through everything from first-impressions to final goodbyes, can potentially become another competitive advantage for your venue; as long as you manage to convey it authentically.
Ironically, this same warmth, responsiveness and care can be projected even before a customer meets your staff face-to-face. Follow this script below to transform an unknown visitor into an instant raving fan – all before they actually arrive at your venue. Sound impossible? Give the role-play below a try!
Phone rings in a restaurant…
Staff Member: Good afternoon… this is [NAME OF VENUE]
Guest: Hi I’d like to make a reservation for… at… on…
Staff Member: Certainly Sir/Ma’am, it will be our pleasure. May l ask if this is your first time joining us or are you a returning guest?
If he or she is a first-time guest…
Staff Member: We are looking forward to welcoming you and your friends, and we’re looking forward to providing a wonderful evening.
Is there anything specific you’d like us to take care of before you arrive, say a special occasion?
The conversation continues shortly thereafter.
This is a the first big step towards an ultimately happy, or daresay ecstatic, guest— one who is looking forward to a new experience and is confident in the knowledge that their friends will be happy with the choice of venue selected.
From here manually input the details gathered on your reservation system, noting NEW GUEST and special requirements (if any).
With this system, needs and expectations of the group are assessed, and staff members are aware of potential areas to go above and beyond— all before the evening begins.
Follow through ensures when the guests arrive, whoever welcomes them will be able to maintain expectations and extend the personal connection established at the very first touch point.
If the person calling is a returning guest, make use of the same system by pulling up the guest’s history (if on file). Continue by noting anything relevant and informing front of house staff to look for further opportunities to add nice touches or a friendly flourishes to the visit.
There are so many more extra touches your staff members can add throughout the evening to enhance guest experience, critical of course that each team member in your chain of service is willing to pay attention and provide the same level of care.
This level of consideration is usually provided at top tier venues. The creation of higher customer service standards particularly when not initially expected can really resonate with guests and can easily (and almost effortlessly) become the difference between sending off a one-time diner and welcoming back a life-long regular.
NEVER HIRE THE WRONG PEOPLE AGAIN... THE 4 C'S TO EMPLOYMENT SUCCESS
In an industry with such a high turnover rate, staffing changes are a constant consideration for any bar manager. Make the right decision and your team’s lives becomes easier, their morale becomes higher, and their work becomes more profitable – but make the wrong decision, and everything can turn around in an instant.
When a dutiful hire turns out to be a dud, recovering is exhausting — especially if it was your job to vet them in the first place.
It can be challenging to develop a system for evaluating potential hires, more so when staff is needed and options are slim. Managing a hospitality team is about selecting diverse people to fill diverse roles, each often requiring a completely different skill set.
The key to selecting a team member, partner, associate, supplier or whoever, is to pay attention and ask the right big-picture questions.
Don’t get snowed by someone who is just a smooth talker if you are hiring for organizational skills. Don’t be fooled by a great look or presence when you are hiring for back of house. Take the time to make sure what you see can match up with what you really need.
Some years ago l read a short article that challenged the reader to apply a scientific thought process to the suitability of an individual for a role or position.
It’s easy to think you do this already, but in the moment so much of what you set out to evaluate can be easily be forgotten.
Understanding the need for a process allowed me to look beyond the first impressions (and beyond what I thought of as standard “interview” success) to really make sure I had gathered enough initial information to clarify common success factors.
What do you really need to hit on in order to make role selection possible? The answer can be boiled down to the 4C’s…
The 4C’s
- Capacity
Does the person have the knowledge, intellectual skills and experience for the job, position?
- Compatibility
Does the person have the personality, character traits to fit into the organisation?
- Commitment
Does the person have the enthusiasm for the role long term, is there a burning desire to succeed, what is their need and or needs?
- Capability
Does this person have the ability to grow, learn, follow, lead, innovate, apply, assist and build?
Expanding each of the 4C’s into questions specific to the position being considered allowed me to build a clearer picture of what I wanted to see in an ideal applicant.
Running through what you hope to hear from a future hire will allow you to build a clearer picture of who the right person for your job is.
Next time you are hiring, ask the right questions and make sure the contender fits into your 4C’s. With a bit of extra insight you will be one step closer to hiring your next rock star team member.
BEWARE AIR JOBS: VERBAL WANNABES
Ever been seduced by promises that vanish before the words ever hit the air?
Then folks beware the Air Job!
What’s an Air Job: an individual who with seething conviction expresses love, or makes some type of promise to commit, act, or reciprocate, yet when it comes to the crunch, nothing ever happens!
Air Jobs work for you, are customers, are service provider, are friends, are associates… inevitably these people just want something from you or importantly want something more for themselves, unrelated to your needs or outcomes!
At some point intention must turn into physical action or commitment… otherwise one’s credibility is at stake... an old tailor once said: the cloth we cut our promises from results from the outcomes we sew!
Recognizing the Air Job, avoids disappointments, wannabes and time wasters from taking focus away from the people, relationships and actions that do really matter!
WHEN SERVICE ISN'T A DIFFERENTIATOR… WHAT'S NEXT
Once upon a time... service was thought of as the great differentiator between businesses!
Now when transparency, customer ratings, competition is everywhere, NO business cannot afford to offer anything less than great customer service.
Yet, great service has become a commodity!
When everyone’s offering great service, do your guests then value or consider your service as a differentiator?
This week l had the experience of going to a local motor registry office… prior experiences were an experience in helplessness and humiliation as a public
(potentate) servant threw my "wait" around.
Things have since changed, today customers have the option of rating their service experience at an exit rating machine.
The arising question: when great service is no longer a differentiator what can one implement as a competitive counter move… the answer
Delivering Exceptional Experiences!
Everything can be copied yet within the 4 walls of a business one can create and own a unique customer’s experience that delivers exception and in the process success. Try it!
EYEBALLS & ACTIONS: LOOKING GOOD VS BEING GOOD
The old adage: seeing is believing holds true still today!
Drinking and dining experiences are heavily influenced by what we see
(eyeballs)... hence if a venue or restaurant looks good... or served food looks great the chances are we’ll give it a go (actions).
On the other hand if a bar or restaurant doesn’t look good, then it takes lots of convincing to get us to act and who’s got the time for that!
The rush to open the very latest in drinking and dining offers creates an avalanche of great looking places. Most have design elements, ambiance and other visual cues acting as the invitation, yet the action moment occurs once the experience has been delivered.
Newbies sometimes forget important steps, where drill down mapped into process and execution is completely overlooked!
We understand that a minimal viable product is an opening gambit to be refined after opening... yet nowadays unforgiving consumers with no time, patience or appetite for anything less than very good, care not... so newly minted business beware... being unprepared to be good on DAY 1, creates one-time customer visits only!
Ambiance and design are terrific however the moment of truth rests on innovative offerings, brilliantly and consistently executed. Focusing more on being good (actions) rather than looking good (eyeballs) wins hands down!
LIKES VS SHARES... VANITY VS CERTAINTY
Every bar and restaurant business must be on Facebook.
Isn't it frustrating when in conversation with a friend or business colleague, when these people trumpet how many Facebook fans they have... if you’re like me... you may feel somewhat deflated!
The good news next time you meet an internet boaster... that “fans” are in some ways just vanity numbers as uncommitted fans can be easily purchased… meaning these “fans” will not engage with your brand or business in any meaningful way!
Social sharing is about sharing posts which provides cache, authenticity and amplification to your story!
Facebook success should be measured on certainty… “likes” are so “meh”… broadly summed: the difference between “likes” and “shares” is the difference between a rather uncommitted pat on the back versus a huge bear hug, backed by love!
Who wants hugs?
How Serving Steak creates KAPOW Customer Experiences
We’ve all eaten steak right?
What’s more obvious than serving steak to a guest… (of-course steak being an allegory for any product or service!)
Well to be honest there’s a lot that can be learnt!
Check out a Landry’s Seafood restaurant in the US… see what their servers are trained to do!
Here’s the process… a steak, cooked your way is delivered... the server has one request … “please cut your steak NOW to confirm it’s been cooked the way you like it.”
Why; to ensure a customer receives exactly what they ordered...
KAPOW! Instant customer feedback, satisfaction!
On occasion if a steak is under or over-cooked... no need to call back the server to get action, it’s done on the spot, no customer frustration involved!
How easy is that! Making the customer feel heard, solving issues before they’re hijacked into problems.
Go to almost any other restaurant... a server returns to their guest after a meal is commenced, belatedly asking “is everything OK?”
Pre-empting customer experiences by being attentive, anticipating questions or needs before they’re asked are the building blocks to create legendary customer experiences, whether you sell food, cocktails or even bar tools!
The Client Sutra - 6 Customer Facing Positions
Nothing is more rewarding than making and keeping your customers happy!
At Überbartools™ innovative design which delights, entertains, improves and saves are things which gets us out of bed in the mornings.
At the end of the day isn't it about providing great service, satisfaction, quality and value!
The secret to mastering customer satisfaction does NOT come from studying “customer service manuals”... it’s born from on the spot experience!
Know anyone who’s in business wishing not to be busy, or wants to be a failure? Then isn't the exercise of doing better start from asking WTF questions...
(Where’s The customer Focus).
To ask the right questions check out Über’s: Client Sutra!
1. Customers should be heard once!
A customer must never repeat their order, problem, frustration... do it right, do it once!
2. Quality must be tested before a customer eats, drinks or experiences anything.
Winging it, is for dipping sauce... customer product offerings or service must be thoroughly battle and stress tested first!
3. A customer must never ask where their drink, meal or order is.
Production, kitchen, customer service feedback systems are in place to ensure that this does not happen! If it is, then it’s time to refine your process, retrain, re-imagine customer facing strategies.
4. Customer’s time, convenience and satisfaction must be valued.
The customer is the hero of your story, purpose and action... Be attentive, proactive and focused on 100% outcomes!
5. Customers require respect, including the rude ones.
Patience is a virtue, teach your team customer warming techniques. When customers moan… own It!
6. Never tell customers: how busy, full or short staffed you are.
Teach your staff the principals of the Client Sutra then watch your business grow!
Esprit de Coeur
We have a lot to be thankful to France for... most of which is exported!
In the realm of hospitality we’re indebted to France for 2 concepts: Mise en Place and Esprit de Corps.
Most hospitality workers are familiar with Mise en Place, “everything in its place” as a methodology for bar, kitchen set-ups so that the right tools, spacing, products are within the right distance to the work performed.
Esprit de Corps: the common spirit existing in the members of a group inspiring enthusiasm, devotion, and strong regard for the honour of the group.
A newer concept that should be equally at home within the hospitality world resting at the epicentre of the guest experience; we call it Esprit de Coeur.
Sitting at a new year’s degustation dinner waiting to bring in a new year... we were greeted by as many servers and specialists as there were courses to be had.
The cuisine was excellent, however depending on server, the energy level and enthusiasm of each person left a type of energy residue impacting the flavour of each course... noticeable increases in flavour seemed to occur when 2 staff in particular... the sommelier and one special server, were involved.
Whilst these 2 individuals acted separate to each... each had a natural enthusiasm, radiating from their hearts to their smiles, changing their body language as well as demeanour! There was the feeling that no amount of money could compensate these 2 pros for the total love of their craft and the guests they treat.
Being NYE what seemed even more remarkable, these two were not with their loved ones; making their enthusiasm extraordinary!
The natural desire of 2 hospitality professionals to radiate positivity, share knowledge, provide care without thinking… transformed a tremendous meal and occasion into a life changing experience.
So now let’s attempt at creating a definition for Esprit de Coeur...
Esprit de Coeur: a love affair of service and care emanating from an individual’s innermost desire is to help and serve others; transforming hospitality experiences into moments turned into occasion, irrespective of whether they are or not!
What do you think!
Speak easy move fast.. Speed Behind the Bar
There’s been much debate amongst bartenders concerning the pros and cons of speed behind the bar.
Speak to any bartender working a club, Vegas Strip, high volume bar and they’ll quickly tell you speed‘s king!
If you’re working just for tips, as many do in the US, speedy drinks equals fast tips!
With many bartenders regarding themselves as guns... delays in making a drink is costly so, it’s all guns blazing or go hungry!
Like most traditions behind a bar, they didn’t happen overnight... they evolved over time.
On that basis, it’s possible that Prohibition era American Speak Easy bars are the likely modern starting point of the need for speed behind the bar!
The rationale: Speak Easy owners/bartenders never knew when they could be raided by authorities… seems logical then, if you wanted to sell plenty of drinks, make money, that a heighted sense of urgency was required... speed was critical!
During Prohibition drink quality and craftsmanship were not deemed particularly important, so speed was the catalyst to drinking quick and serving fast!
Whilst at Uber we don’t agree that fast drinks will necessarily be good in terms of quality, flavour and balance, we realize there’s plenty of room to cater for all styles and sorts of bartending/customer needs.
Customers waiting to be served is money potentially left on the table; drinks poorly executed represent money leaving a venue as a guest potentially swaps to a cheaper drink category or leaves disappointed altogether!
Speed behind the bar has consequences... it comes down to juggling between speed, care and quality… pick any 2!