News
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.
DRINKING THE SUGAR BULLET ...DIABETES
The Western world has become it’s own victim, with increasing numbers of people suffering from lifestyle diseases such as Type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes is triggered by substances such as sugar and carbohydrates which is converted in the body to sugar.
The ravages of diabetes is growing at such an alarming rate that more and more children (tomorrow’s liquor consumers) are also now registered as sufferers.
The question that the liquor industry at some time will need to address: if diabetes continues to grow exponentially as it’s now doing how will this impact future consumers and their drinking habits?
When consumers start demanding lower sugar and carbs entire categories such as rum which is derived entirely from molasses and possibly liqueurs that contain very high levels of sugar could be negatively impacted.
Wine and beer as a category could also be affected as consumers look for bottled alternatives that will allow them to still enjoy a drink without any of the nasty health consequences that a disease such as diabetes brings.
We’re not trying to generate fear but rather re-focus manufacturers as well as owners of bars, clubs and restaurants to consider different drinking options that can safely be offered to a category of guests to enable them to continue to enjoy drinking experiences with their friends.
Any thoughts?
CAN YOU REALLY OPERATE YOUR OWN BUSINESS? MAYBE NOT...
At some point entrepreneurs will ask the big question: “can someone else run this business better than me?”
The entrepreneur wishing to be true to themselves and their stakeholders must regularly ask this question to ensure long term success.
Ironically friends, family and colleagues may never share the thought that at some point the knowledge and talent to run that business may not be there!
Transitioning from bartender to manager to owner takes giant leaps: each representing a learning curve requiring education, experience and brutal honesty.
Most passionate entrepreneurs find it difficult to recognize the right time to bring in the people with the experience needed to run their businesses.
Such moments are not failures but rather the time to take control; re-setting the trajectory towards continued success and ultimate fulfillment.
The day we start asking more questions than we have answers to it's probably the time to take a step back and leave it to someone else!
What do you think?
HOW TIPS INCLUDED PRICING WILL CHANGE U.S. HOSPITALITY
The recent decision by New York restaurant legend Danny Meyer to remove tipping progressively from his hospitality empire, by increasing menu prices by 20% is brassy!
This idea is called service INCLUDED pricing!
Should the idea take hold in America, the reverberations will carry through to 2021 where U.S. minimum hourly wage rates are set to rise to US$15 per hour.
In the meantime most developed countries, America excepted, serve staff are paid higher comparable wages as service is included in menu pricing!
The habit of U.S. hospitality operators to pay minimum or below minimum wages is notorious; yet strangely it’s the guest who’s then forced to shoulder the added costs for service, the very same service that’s included in menu pricing in every other part of the world.
A visit to a restaurant and/or bar now in the U.S., guests will see internationally comparable menu (exchange rate adjusted) pricing with the noted exception a further obligation to pay a 15-20% tip.
The hugely competitive US market is home to some of the CHEAPEST produce, protein and beverage costs in the world. Yet, in other markets with far higher input costs and similar U.S. menu prices, these operators pay staff higher wages. The arising thought: why then do U.S. operators demand increased menu pricing to pay staff better?
The answer without question is WASTE!
Tips under the current U.S. system give rise to alcohol, food and other waste/carelessness, with businesses accepting operational tolerances that the same business in another country would never allow! Free pouring generous amounts of excess alcohol to keep guests on side, is a great example of this!
The average free pouring bar in the U.S. will typically suffer higher amounts of wasted profits (increased costs) caused by over-portioned alcohol serves actioned by staff looking for customer tips.
At the moment waste at the level we see in the U.S. will force operators to look very closely at every aspect of business costs given the countdown to 2021 hourly rate increases.
Today’s empowered, activist consumers are unlikely to accept blanket menu price increases to cover increased staff wages, the same wages that should be now paid by operators.
If consumers start to buck higher menu pricing then U.S. operators must quickly find innovative ways to save money, by driving down operational costs.
Increased hospitality staff wages in the U.S. long term will be a win for everyone – it may take time for the new reality to play out however, rest assured U.S. hospitality will change for ever!
WHEN BIG GOES SMALL: COMPETING AGAINST SMALL CONCEPT BARS
The days of bar barons and ‘pub-preneurs’ has taken a beating.
In many markets liquor licensing requirements were deliberately onerous precluding smaller players from entering the market!
Clever operators used licensing as a barrier to competitive entry leaving only the giants to compete against each other.
To further control the market, large operators would open multiple concepts in easy steps from their own venues to help maintain share of wallet.
Then some years back the democratisation of the bar changed everything as small bar licenses were granted allowing independent bartenders to become owners, helping to fuel the craft bar boom.
The boom then created massive competition, pulling from big boxed venues consumers, particularly those searching for more authentic experiences.
The Empire Strikes back
The big guys began to understand that to tackle the small guys they too needed to get small, creating niche competitors to meet the needs of a market fracturing into micro segments.
Relying on unlimited access to money, designers, process, volume discounts advertising and the best ideas from around the world, the big guys turned the tables.
Here's some of the different plays we’ve seen:
- Large venues cut down large spaces into unique spaces with multiple concepts
- Satellite micro venues – surrounding hub venues, smaller specialized offerings that feed into the fickleness of consumers looking for other options within easy walk of main venues.
- Chain concepts developing niche brands.
- Pair n' partner Pop Ups: Bringing a well-known chef in with an experienced bartender or bar team to deliver short term concepts.
Whereas the little guys were once the disrupters, the bigger players have learnt fast & scaled down to meet and beat the people who created market instability in the first place.
Who’s the loser in this redrawn market place, now that's your call!
AIRBNB YOUR BAR ÜBER INNOVATION: SPACE FLIPPING!
The sharing economy has spawned new ways of thinking about limited resources.
New examples: car sharing, private residences for rent, office sharing, private taxis… the list goes on and on!
Let’s pose the question: why not potentially share your existing business space with another business? Sound crazy?
May be not... we call it “Space Flipping”
Defined as: a purpose built space designed for dual concept occupancy co-existing in the same area, yet operating at completely different times.
As we know many businesses operate within a fixed time frame say 9-5 pm, 6am -3 pm, i.e. coffee and sandwich shops.
Irrespective of the number of hours a business premises is in used daily, rent is payable 24/7/365.
It will come as no surprise that after wages, RENT, is the number 2 expense most businesses must pay... so why not turn a challenge and flip it into a leveraged opportunity!
So can we apply the concept to a bar, is it possible?
The answer is of course it is, so long as there’s willingness, flexibility, and great design!
Assuming willingness and flexibility amongst parties how then could design be critical to completing this picture?
Well, let’s think of it like this: smart design allows one to re-imagine, plan and execute around a framework mandated to achieve a desired outcome i.e. dual occupancy space...
To see what we mean check out this simple space plan... from 6 am-3 pm the space is known as “Johnny’s Coffee Emporium”, late afternoon to early morning “El Diablo Tapas and Tequila Bar”
Here’s a way it may work.
- A two side revolving shingle outside of the space... depending who’s in occupancy.
- Two working areas... one open kitchen with coffee and other value add services; the other as a bar
- The non-used area is closed and concealed when not in use-possibly using the space to advertise the no-open business as an example.
- Stack-able table and chairs to allow for furniture changeover... or possibly utilize existing tables and use different coverings.
- Separate incoming telephone lines.
- The bar could retain the coffee shop to make tapas to supply the bar, and the kitchen uses the bar to create bespoke batched non-alcoholic drinks.
The potential opportunities are endless with willing parties. Of course like any relationship it needs to be carefully regulated, with plenty of mutually agreed boundaries-yes it’s not going to be a walk in the park, but it’s doable!
With more and more young people unable to find employment or make the jump from employee to entrepreneur… the chance to Space Flip may be an opportunity for 2 people to co-exist in business sharing the risk and expense!
What do you think?
HOW LONG WOULD YOU WAIT FOR A DRINK?
How long should a guest wait for their drink? Or, the real question should be; whilst a cocktail can take anywhere from 10 seconds to 5 minutes (or more!) to make, what's a reasonable wait time for a customer to be both intrigued and fascinated by a mixologist/bartender making a drink?
Depending on a number of factors, the style of the bar, the skill set of the bartender and how busy the venue is, the wait time can vary tremendously.
Many rookies transitioning from bartender to owner do not necessarily take timing into account. When looking at potential guest wait time, there appears to be a laissez faire or, "she'll be fine" attitude. Sadly, a wrong decision made at the very onset may doom a bars income generation and profitability.
So when making a cocktail what are some factors you need to take into account. Below we have identified key elements that need to be considered to ensure efficiency, management of your guest’s expectations and positive turnover.
- The number of separate ingredients and how long they take to gather and combine
- How much will the drink sell for, versus cost and time to make?
- Can you make an 80 per cent GP and still sell the drink? What's the expected sell price, versus the cost price, including labour
- How many people are making drinks behind the bar?
- Are there pre-batched ingredients on hand for more popular / high volume selling drinks?
- What type of venue is it? i.e. High volume cocktail bar, speak-easy, dive bar
- What are the guest’s expectations?
- Do you have a clear drinks philosophy?
- What's the expected spend per guest target?
- What’s the demographics of your patrons?
- Who is your competition in the area?
- Is your bar set-up so staff can move quickly and efficiently?
- Do you have a glassy/bar back support to help?
Reflecting carefully on each of the questions will determine the ideal time your bar can turn a multi-drink order around. Ultimately, it's the guest and what's left in the till at the end of a shift that will be the ultimate arbiter of how long the average drink should take to make!
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.
THE BACK BAR PRICING PYRAMID
Many bars and restaurants are not properly setup to maximize guest up sell.
It's important to set up a back bar to accommodate multi-tier pricing across categories.
One of the most efficient ways to set up a back bar is using a Back Bar Pricing Pyramid or Bar Grid.
In a nutshell the cheapest brands start at the bottom of a shelf whilst more expensive brands are graduated upwards.
A great example of well set up Back Bar is local Sydney icon Smoking Panda with a 6 tier pricing pyramid for their pricing structure ($9, $10, $11, $12, $15, $25).
The grid is replicated twice to allow for 2 teams of bartenders to operate behind a speed rail/back bar duality – in other words the back bar is mirrored twice so that bar tenders literally turn around to access the choice/brand required. No crossover nor wasted operational time during peak service times.
A great back bar creates a visually enticing liquor “palette” so that inquisitive guests can relax and then “initiate” bar tender conversations by asking questions.
Download here your complimentary Bar Grid work sheets.
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!