TECH: A Look Inside Upgrading Your Bar’s A/V System for a Better Viewing Experience
We often point to a survey that was done years ago by a major national chain that revealed why guests visit a sports bar. The number one reason was, “because it’s a great place to watch sports.” And that true of every sports bar. But how do you deliver that experience if your bar isn’t a great place to watch sports? You can change the experience for the better by updating and upgrading your audio-visual systems. There are levels of integration you can choose and there are improvements you can make that aren’t outrageously expensive. Here’s how to start.
DID YOU KNOWS…
Florida Woman Strikes
We always hear about Florida Man, but what is Florida Woman up to? Apparently, trying to steal live lobsters from restaurants. An intoxicated (of course) Florida woman was kicked out of a Red Lobster for “making a scene” to which she reacted by grabbing a live lobster out of the tank and bolting. When the cops caught up to her she denied knowing the location of the lobster. Sounds like a breakout to us.
Lebron Climbing
Lebron James, the self-proclaimed “Chosen One”, scored 31,425 points in regular season games during his career so far, making him the fifth highest scorer of all time and the highest-ranked player that is still shooting hoops. The next legend for James to pass is a big one, as it is the one player that, in the eyes of many, stands in his way of being considered the greatest player to ever play the game: Michael Jordan.
Edible Ooze
Apparently the Internet is obsessed with weird slime (can we still blame Nickelodeon for this?). It’s at the point where Jell-O has created 100% edible slime mixtures. The slime comes in two flavors --strawberry (“Unicorn Slime”) and lime (“Monster Slime”). Just add water and the slime “stretches if you pull it slowly, but snaps if you pull it fast apart.” Yummy.
MAKE GOOD CHOICES
Why it matters to you: Audit your software commitments to eliminate unnecessary distraction.
How many different software services do you interact with daily? POS, reservation, back office management, scheduling…the list is endless. This is especially the case when it comes to marketing. Many marketers report on average having to interact with up to 22 tools. The notion that all of those tools are necessary, effective or even relevant is one that at least needs some evidence. Every time you interact with a marketing software system, you aren’t interacting with your staff to improve their service and selling acumen or even directly with your guests.
The Thanx blog does a great job of priming you to manage the number of software programs you interact with regularly. Simple steps like auditing the value of your software commitments helps you answer important questions like, “What does your marketing software do?” and, “What does the future of this software look like?”. As with so much of our daily lives, we have too much to do and not enough time to do it. Which is precisely why you should review all of the software you implement and make sure it balances the time it requires with the results it delivers. Eliminate the wasted effort and you get back some of that precious time.
[Source: Thanx]
NEW RECRUIT
Why it matters to you: It’s high time you modernized how you recruit for the current culture and economy.
If you are still hanging a Help Wanted sign in your window to attract clients, then we guarantee you’ll remain understaffed. Recruiting in the modern world of social media and digital content requires a far more deft approach to attracting great candidates. Instead of a sign, try making a short video about how cool a place your restaurant is to work. Here you can show off your most attractive assets -- including introducing the fun environment you create for your staff -- by including them in the video. But it’s not just new technology that will help you win the war for talent.
Focus on the “why” with candidates. Explain why your restaurant’s culture is better than their current job. Let them know how much they will make and generally deliver a sense for how it will feel to be in your employ. The current crew of staff that is seeking employment want a lifestyle as much as they need a job. By demonstrating the intrinsic value working for you, candidates can see that you meet their fun and financial requirements. Give it a shot! I mean, it’s not like that Help Wanted sign is actually working, right?
[Source: RestaurantBusinessOnline]
