In today's age of information overload and abundance of affordable goods, we have far more options to choose from than usual. It often happens that with all this choice, we simply experience a minor shock, because we cannot and cannot decide on a single option.
The same thing happens with bars and restaurants - sometimes we can't quite decide where to go for coffee or to lunch, but these are sweet concerns for consumers.
Are you wondering what they can do in this case or do the owners of the bar or restaurants? In the following lines you will find some tips!
It often happens that we come to a bar or restaurant that looks like a collage of all the things that the owner likes. Put some thought and effort into unifying the appearance of your bar both from the outside and from the inside. Humans are by nature very visual creatures, so for us a well-rounded ambience with a visible idea or the red thread can stay in the memory rather than something everyday. Every little detail, from the carefully chosen font on the menu to the wall stickers, significantly contributes to building a positive image of the bar and making customers and employees feel comfortable in it.
Nowadays, people are more and more aware of the environment in which we live and the problems that arise there - show your customers that you care about our common space and start with small things, such as placing bins to separate your waste. Every little thing like this will bring you more loyal customers in the long run, a good reputation, maybe even lower costs in the future due to greater awareness of energy and consumables consumption.
More and more people have access to the web also through mobile devices that we carry in our pockets and bags during the day - how to take advantage of this trend?
We are all looking for the menu and opening hours. The vast majority of people are only looking online for the essential information about their next beer or lunch location, namely: menu with prices and opening hours. Avoid irrelevant information and offer people what they are looking for - let your goal be to attract them to your bar and surprise them with the whole experience there.
Harness the power of social networks. It is known that e.g. today's youth value a quality experience, and at the same time they are very active on social networks. Make sure that you have an organized and updated page at least on Facebook, which is the largest social network in Slovenia, but don't forget about Instagram and any other more visual network where pictures are in the foreground.
You're not really alone in your street - your neighbors can be your customers, and so can the other businesses on that street. Connect with your surroundings and make your neighbors in this street feel good next to you - good neighborly relations, especially in a business sense, significantly change your chances of existing and gaining more and more customers. Connect with the hair salon next door and offer their customers a coffee at a good price upon presentation of the receipt, and at the same time you can suggest your existing customers to come down the street to your friends for a new haircut.
Many things can be changed, added, taken away, but nothing can replace that genuine interaction between the staff and the customer. Make sure your customer is impressed, but don't forget your staff's satisfaction. Give them a special spot on the wall for employee of the month, or give them a treat every now and then for a job well done. A happy and smiling waiter will attract new customers to your bar rather than a grumpy and nervous one, not to mention the increased amount of work done and other positive effects that such small actions can bring with them.
Due to the fast lifestyle, our way of eating is also changing - eating food or drink is no longer treated as a special ritual as before, but as just one more thing on our already (sometimes endlessly) long to-do list.
Break this constant rush and offer your customers something new - do you have a bar in the business district? Set up a big bowl and have people drop their business cards into it, and you raffle off everything from free beer recipients to free lunch for two. Such interactions between the customers and the staff of the bar are very desirable, because they connect you with each other in a humane and fun way, and you will also be remembered by people as an innovative bar that always provides a good atmosphere.
Many times even your most loyal customers just don't like to get off the couch while watching their favorite series or movie, but they still want to eat your food - what to do? Prepare quick and delicious takeaway menus, offer food delivery or try to negotiate with other food delivery providers in case your infrastructure does not allow you to do so at the moment. This will pleasantly surprise many hungry people and also people who do not want to order delivery from the same provider again as last time.
Many times people, especially those with established businesses, are afraid of any major change - the hospitality industry has changed since the advent of the Internet, because now contact with people has to be sought on more levels than we discussed before. Don't let this put you off, because technology also brings with it many new opportunities: one of them is the use of mobile devices in your connected hospitality system.
Sometimes the waiter had to take the order, carry it to the chef and then to the waiter so that he could accept the order, but nowadays, with the "remote ordering" at the mobile cash register, you can easily send one order to the central computer to the waiter and the chef at the same time with your personal phone . The chef can then start preparing the ordered dish, the cashier prints the bill, and the waiter can spend less time doing the same job as before, devote more time to each customer and provide a better service experience than before.
Take advantage of the benefits of technology and ensure the optimization of work processes with the help of modern technology, because if used well, this can bring you significantly more revenue and, at the end of the day, a bigger profit - faster and easier service, more satisfied customers, who will order more than usual and more we could list the positive effects of using technology.
However we look at things, at the end of the day, what matters most is your offer, your menu. Do not be afraid to experiment when preparing the menu, perhaps you can also introduce a special daily offer. That hamburger you serve every day? Offer a "Hamburger Special" on Friday, which will be the same as the existing one, but with a different mix of spices and a special sauce. Small changes to your regular menu can spice up your established food preparation routine, surprise your regular customers, and make just enough of a difference between you and your closest competitors.
In the age of the Internet, many people opt for Internet advertising only. Don't underestimate the power of your local radio station, well-designed flyers, and the reach of your local daily newspaper. Good results will be easily seen if you act sincerely and divide your efforts equally between online and traditional advertising.
