Being a great bartender means more than having a chatty personality and an ability to collect money and pour customers their drinks. In fact, if you want to be a successful bartender, you must go above and beyond when it comes to customer service.
After all, many people drinking at a hopping bar expect an experience, not just a transaction.
Sure, you may have been in the business for some time now and feel you know everything there is to know about bartending. You may have even recently completed your TABC renewal.
However, in any profession there is always room for improvement – especially when it comes to customer service. So, read on to find out some of the best tips of the trade and boost your customer service skills starting now.
1. Have a Good Attitude
It is sometimes hard not to bring your personal life to the workplace, especially if you are going through a tough time. However, people don’t care about your troubles.
Remember, lots of people come to the bar to forget their own problems.
They cannot be bothered with your poor attitude, and definitely don’t want to pay for drinks if you are giving them a bad vibe. So, keep it together and give the people buying from you the best of you, no matter what.
2. Be Knowledgeable
This skill will not only make you appear more professional, it will help your customers make better drink choices. Understanding the products you deliver to the customer, no matter the industry, is an integral part of giving your customers exceptional customer service.
No one is going to want to order from you if you don’t even know what drinks you have on tap.
On the other hand, making suggestions, offering specialty drinks based on flavor preferences, and being able to educate your bar-goers about the different beers and liquor you serve up will surely garner you higher tips.
3. Anticipate Needs
As a bartender, you will need to multi-task if you want to succeed and make your customers satisfied.
Learn to memorize drink orders, ask those low on drinks if they want more, make sure your bar is always stocked (think limes, ice, and clean glassware), and don’t forget to offer menus to everyone just in case they are hungry.
The key here is to make sure your customers never have to hunt you down for anything.
4. Stay Clean
On top of anticipating every customer need, make sure you keep your bar clean. This will help your customer experience in a variety of ways. Your bar will seem hygienic and will be approachable. In addition, the entire process of receiving orders, setting up, pouring, and delivering will be streamlined and efficient.
This means you can take more orders, make more people happy, and hopefully make more money!
Bartending is about more than being certified to serve drinks to those seeking a break from life or a good time. In fact, it is about an entire experience. And, you can bet your customers want to receive the best experience possible.
Take the time to perfect your customer service skills. And, make sure you give every person, no matter what, the best of you every time you come to work.
Guest Post by Lindsay Liedke – Lindsay Liedke is a professional writer that loves writing informative and interesting articles on various subjects. In addition, she can be find musing over current events, all things trendy, and the best way to keep track of every super hero so she can play with her son “the right way” during her down time.
