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There’s a spirit of optimism across social media as pubs and bars across the UK invite guests back through the doors for indoor seating.
The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) expected 45,000 pubs to be open on 17 May serving 3m pints.
Optimism is exactly what pub and bar operators need. But not without a dash of realism. Owners and managers shouldn’t let the heady joys of reopening derail their business thinking.
Here are some bar management mistakes to avoid after reopening.
Falling Victim to ‘the Robin Hood Effect’
Haven’t heard of the Robin Hood effect?
A free pint served to regulars, food discount offered to a recently unemployed friend. These are the theft habits staff consider innocent caused by the Robin Hood effect. Here’s a Growyze article on what causes it and actions to take.
When it comes to new hires after reopening, it’s a chance to keep the Robin Hood effect at bay from day one.
Treat new staff as well as returning staff
You’ll likely have a mix of new team members and loyal, seasoned pros coming back to the fold.
Don’t just throw hurriedly hired staff behind the bar without welcoming them, integrating them and offering the right training.
Give them a sense of purpose and belonging and they’ll quickly adopt an attitude of responsibility.
Download the Growyze Loss Buster Checklist for guidance on more profit protection and loss management advice.
Or try the growyze app for 30 days free to inject a little fun into new-staff training. Look after them, and they’ll look after you.
Bad Supplier Relationships
Savvy supplier relationship management will be a bigger asset than ever in your mission to stay open.
You should be reassessing to decide which supplier relationship to carry forward post lockdown and developing relationships with the ones you keep.
Use existing supplier relationships
Ask for intros to other suppliers you’re interested in working with. Having someone who can vouch for you can really open doors.
Join a local food cooperative
Ask around and find opportunities to work with other businesses. Clubbing together with local hospitality businesses can make it easier and more efficient for suppliers to service you.
Make supplier relationships human & be generous
Remember, suppliers have had as tough a time during lockdown as you. Staying open means nurturing the human relationships that bring mutual growth and resilience.
Be generous with suppliers.
Recommend their products to other pubs and restaurants, and let them know you recommended them. Ask them how you can help them with their own goals and share feedback you get from your customers about their produce.
Poor Waste Management
Before the 2020 shutdown, UK pub food waste had been costing UK pubs £357m each year emitting as much carbon dioxide as 600,000 cars according to research from Waste & Resources Action Program (WRAP).
Set waste management goals
Use pre-lockdown data to assess where you were dropping the ball with waste management. Devise a plan to improve on previous performance & review progress regularly.
Separate plate waste by different food groups
This will help you get a deeper understanding of patterns of waste so that you can create strategies to target problem areas of food waste. For example, by giving customers different options of portion size on frequently wasted menu items.
Make waste-management awareness part of training
You should have waste-management teams in the kitchen and front of house accountable for their areas.
Select someone in each of these teams as your waste management advocates. Ask them to train new team members on waste management practices so that good habits are developed early.
Those are just a few ways to prevent waste management errors from spoiling all your reopening hard work. For more, here’s WRAP’s ‘Take Action on Waste’ guidelines for pubs.
We can help too. Book a demo and try the growyze app for 30 days free to manage waste intelligently from your phone to see the bigger picture, spot patterns, and curb waste more effectively.
We’re rooting for you!
