After graduating from a bar school and entering the world of jobs, a bartender has to face reality. If he joins as a bar manager his primary responsibility becomes bar management. Although apparently a bar manager’s job looks easy, it is actually pretty tough. An efficient, profitable bar with smooth operations depends not on policies but on the personnel who follow up on the policies. It is a bar manager’s responsibility to create an atmosphere of collaboration and cooperation amongst all the staff encouraging and rewarding them to keep them motivated. This will ensure smooth operations and happy customers.
The following tips will help an individual who is new to bar management run an efficient and successful bar.
When heading a bar it is essential that the bar manager trains his staff properly. Very often it is found that new bartenders are placed behind the bar and a particular quality of service is expected out of them. Every bar has its own norms, particular drinks prepared in a specific ways and every newcomer needs to be trained so that those norms that the customer is used to and expects are maintained.
A bar manager needs to be very vigilant because pilferage is a common problem in most bars. He has to keep tabs on shortages, ‘no sale’ rings in the register and comp-ed drinks because these are all indications of theft.
The bar manager needs to keep things organized behind the bar. He may delegate duties like cleaning, stock management to his junior staff but he must keep tabs on all these things to ensure smooth operations.
It is the bar manager’s duty to keep all bar equipment up to date and functioning properly. He must ensure that his staff do not misuse them and replace equipment that are not in perfect condition.
Establishing a good relationship with suppliers always helps a bar manager. He can cut costs by getting better deals in the purchase of alcohol as well as all the freebies like napkins, stirrers, coasters that most companies provide.
It is always advisable for bar managers to occasionally do shifts behind the bar, actually pouring and serving drinks. This helps him understand how his customers are responding to his staff and how everything is working in his bar.
The bar manager must occasionally change the menu to keep up the novelty factor in his bar. While retaining the popular drinks the small changes in a menu make space for seasonal favourites.
Up selling is an important responsibility of a bar manager. It keeps the profits flowing and the alcohol companies being promoted offer better deals.
A bar manager must always stay on the right side of the law. So he must train his staff to firstly recognize and then firmly say ‘no’ to someone who may be below the eligible age or someone who may have had too much to drink.
All these aspects of bar management are taught by good bartending schools. If your ambition is to become a bar manager or owner it is advisable that you keep these in mind and follow up on them.
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