In the field of psychology there is a well known theory formulated by A.H Maslow called Maslow’s hierarchy which deals with human needs. Since as all hospitality operators, we deal with human beings, it is important we understand their psychological needs so they can better appreciate their experience at your place of business and we can assure ourselves of a satisfied customer that may return and also speak well to others about their enjoyable dining/drinking experience.

Maslow cites five basic psychological needs an average person should posses

A need for: physiological, safety, love & belonging, esteem and self actualization.

The first for needs are referred to as dependent needs because they are obtained from other people. Self-actualization comes from oneself. Hospitality operators should know and understand how these needs affect their guests and their experience in your hospitality environment.

A hospitality operator should realize that 2 of the needs, the physiological and the need for love most often have been met before the guest enters your place of business.

The physiological need means that if we do not have enough money to provide food for ourselves or our family, we will spend the greatest portion of our time trying to earn enough money or obtain food to satisfy this need.

The need for safety can play an important part in the success or failure of a hospitality business. Guests typically have satisfied the need for safety because they live in a community that makes them feel comfortable and fearless. However, some hospitality environments are located in areas which maybe considered a bit more dangerous thus this need may not be satisfied.

The need for love and belonging refers to being accepted by other people and groups. Most guests have made friends and formed associations with their peers. At times this need benefits the hospitality environment because our guests belong to groups that patronize restaurants, bars and hotels.

The key need all hospitality operators must satisfy is the fourth need: the esteem need. This need centers on self respect and can be also called the “ego” need. It means that you as a hospitality operator make the guest feel important by way of the respect you bring to them. An easy way to fill this need is by addressing the guest by their first name or even inquiring about their friends or family members.

The fifth need is the need for self actualization which comes from within the person. This is achieved when the person develops their maximum potential. As hospitality operators, we indirectly contribute to the development of this need because we have helped satisfy the need for self esteem

All hospitality must understand Maslow’s hierarchy to better understand their customers and add to the success of their business.

Banquets & Functions Beverage Service

There are basically two types of services that could be offered to your clients, Open Bar and Cash Bar. The Open Bar is one that all drinks consumed by guests or customers are offered by the host at no charge. A Cash Bar is one in which if a guest would like a drink, it is served to them and they are required to pay the bartender.

Whether the event is an Open Bar or Cash Bar, there are many different options for serving their liquor, beer and wine. It is the responsibility of the Banquet manager to sit down with the host and understand both the needs and the type of people that will be attending as to properly suggest the make up of the bar service. The banquet manager will then be able to estimate how much liquor may be consumed by the guests based on their experience with similar size groups and demographics. Typically, liquor consumption will be higher at cocktail time and will decrease following the meal as people are full and they abide by local drinking and driving laws.

Open Bar can be best described as the guest requests a drink from the bartender and this drink is served based on the liquor, beer and wine inventory the bar is stocked with. Generally 1 bartender is required for 50 people a the time of the cocktail and 1 bartender is required for 100 people after the meal is served. How is the host charged? They may be billed for all bottles that have been “open” Another way is to charge the host only the quantity consumed. Technology today allows for fast and accurate consumption reports based on a per bottle and ounce basis.

Cash Bars may cost the host nothing. Basically, when a guest would like a drink, they order it from the bartender and pay immediately. Typically, cash bars have a tendency to bring in less revenue, thus a banquet manager will require a minimum amount of liquor sales. If this minimum is not attained, the host may be charged the cost of the bartender.

A banquet manager should suggest the host go with the Open bar as it does increase the revenues of the establishment but also add to the success of the event. Guests whom are required to pay for drinks normally takes away from the “fun” an event has to offer. Moderate drinking is always recommended and the establishments bar staff must be aware if a guest has over consumed and immediately notify management.

Standard Drink Recipe

To run a successful and have a loyal following, it is important that your customers are served consistent drinks. To do so, standard drink recipes must be prepared so as to prepare your bar staff accordingly. A standard drink recipe is made up of the following:

• Exact quantity of each ingredient
• Glass size
• Procedure to make the drink
• Garnish
• Any other special procedures/condiments
• A picture is an option

For each drink served at your place of business, a standard recipe should be written up and kept on file to train new bartenders and make sure older bartenders do not sway from the company standards.

Standardized recipes will also help control your pour cost percentages and a revision on a 6 month basis is suggested. Below, you will see how to document a standard drink recipe.

Bartending School

An important part of any hospitality environment is the personnel they hire. Hospitality operators at times struggle to find the right people. In regards to hiring the right people for your bar, you may consider giving extra attention to a resume that does include a bartending school certificate or recognition.

Bartending schools are designed to teach people how to serve at the bar. They follow all the theories pertaining to the industry and then will add their personal experiences which they have lived.

 Why consider a certified bartender:

1. Knowledge of recipes
2. Methodology of makes drinks is taught: beers, wines and cocktails
3. Proper service techniques
4. Importance of liquor inventory management
5. Enhanced customer relation

It is also a good idea to call the bartending school as both a reference in regards to the employee you are considering, but also a way to create a relationship with the school for future staffing needs.

Walking the Show

Are you or members of your management team thinking of attending a tradeshow soon?

If yes, here are a few things you may want to consider:

1. What are the specific needs of the company? Is it hardware, software…?
2. Before attending, visit the host tradeshow’s website and look for products you may be need or looking for information on.
3. Locate companies that supply products you may be on the market for and make note of their booth number and website
4. It is a good idea to visit the website of the company(s) who has products you may be looking to purchase to better understand how they work and how they compare to the competition.
5. When you visit a booth, it is always best to ask questions and wait and see how the people in the booth respond. Are they knowledgeable and wanting to understand your needs or are they just there to collect names? Remember, what you see and meet at the show may be reflective of the service you will get in the future
6. If you find the product you are looking for and are ready to make a purchase, a tradeshow is a good place to negotiate a “good deal”

 With the upcoming Florida Restaurant show, it might be a good idea to visit their website; you can even sign up and get a free pass! So, if you are looking for a glass washer, a wine cellar or liquor inventory control software, doing your homework before the show certainly has its benefits.

Please visit us at this years Florida Resaurant and Lodging show on Spetember 12,13,14 2010 we will be in Booth #2144.

Hope we see you there!!

Managing the line at your bar

It’s a warm Saturday night and the town has a certain “buzz” to it. Your bar is getting ready for a big night and then all of a sudden, you leave your office and notice a line forming outside your door.

This can be a good sign for your bar; it’s busy! But what can go wrong?

To start, you should ask your people at the door if you have reached capacity and if not, how far off are you?

Secondly, this is probably a good time to have the bar staffs make sure there is a sufficient amount of liquor inventory behind the bar, the beer coolers are well stocked and wine and champagne are well chilled.

Once you have been through this, it is time to speak to your people at the door to make sure the line and the wait is well managed. Nobody likes to wait, so you want to make sure the time they are wait is justified.

You also need to take a decision on the “regulars” that come in when there is no line up and help your business going. What is important is that you respect the capacity that was assigned to you without breaking the law, but also make certain your regulars or maybe “big spenders” are not in line or worst yet…at the competitor!

It’s always a good idea to meet with your doors staff to go over company policy and make sure customers are happy and the bar can make the most of the busiest hours of the week our industry offers

Share the success!

Remember the days when taking liquor, beer and wine inventory was long and inaccurate? Do you remember when your old system let you down? What about the times you did not have a management system in place and you had no control over your liquid assets? Well over time, we have worked together and today, you have an alcohol control system that is fast, easy to use, accurate and helps you save money! So why not share some of the success by telling a friend.

Did you know that as the Scannabar community grows, you are actually helping yourself? The more new users help us develop an even better liquor inventory software, wine cellar management system and beer control software. So if you know a bar manager, owner or a liquor inventory manager that can benefit from Scannabar, please let us know.

If your referral results in the purchase of a new system, you will receive a $250.00 gift certificate from your favorite retailer to buy anything you want. Want to help a friend save money, simply click below and thanks for your help.

There are many people who describe themselves as bar consultants, but simply sitting at a bar and ordering a drink does not make us specialized in the field. If you are considering a bar consultant for your business, it is a good idea to understand what they can bring to your company in terms of information.

A bar consultant normally has a background in the nightclub, restaurant and hotel industry. They understand the various facets of the business from the sales, controls, marketing and human resource sides of the business. Before hiring a bar consultant, it is always a good idea to ask them where their strengths lie and of course who they have consulted for.

If you are a large nightclub with multiple pouring stations, a consultant from the hotel or restaurant field might not be suited for the job. Bar consulting must help you take decisions that will have a positive impact on your operations. There are some bar consultants that focus on controls and how to implement liquor, beer and wine inventory procedures. Others are more front of the house bar consultants and focus on service and personnel.

There are bar consultants that will help you with the image of your bar and give you marketing ideas and promotions to help increases sales. When you are in the process of hiring a bar consult, it is maybe a good idea to ask if they work alone or have a team that can cover specific or maybe all areas of the operation that need attention. In the end, proper bar consulting can bring you the added knowledge you may need to improve the overall performance and profitability of your bar.

 If you are on the market for a bar inventory system or considering a bar inventory system to begin a better control of your liquid assets, it is best you begin to understand why you are in need of a bar inventory system. There are many bar systems out there and a simple search on the internet will bring up many.

Bar inventory systems vary in the ways they perform, but in the end, the best bar inventory system is the one that best fits the needs of your bar and the objectives you are looking to attain.

1. How often to I plan to take a complete bar inventory?
2. Am I taking a bar audit to keep my staff accountable daily, weekly, by shift?
3. If I take weekly inventory of my liquor, beer and wine, what will I do with the information I gather?
4. Can I afford a bar inventory system from a purchase perspective and do I have the internal resources to maintain it?

The purchase of a bar inventory system entails many facets and what one must realize early on is that liquor, beer and wine inventory is not a band aid on a wound, but it must become long term and relentless part of the business management for it to be successful. Once you know what your needs out, reach out to the different suppliers and ask as many questions as possible as this can be a decision that can have an extremely positive impact on your company bottom line.