We previously discussed the importance of properly staffing your sales team and your promoters. Now, it’s time to talk about staffing your internal team.
Your internal team is comprised of your hosts, servers, bartenders, cooks, bus boys, and managers. They’re what keep all the moving parts – well – moving. Without your internal team, your night could be an utter disaster. Yet, too many owners cut areas of this staffing department in order to cut expenses – a mistake that could cost you your venue.
The Internal Team
There’s a fine line between expense control and service deprivation. How many times have you found yourself in an amazing nightclub, filled with eye-catching décor, but waiting to get a drink for a half hour? Now, your once great impression has turned to a deep distaste.
As an owner or a manager, this is your worst nightmare. All the hard work put in to creating the party is undermined due to an understaffing issue. Take these steps to ensure you’re fully prepared.
1. Watch your bars and tables.
2. Adjust staffing to accommodate levels of business.
3. Track trends, upcoming events, and major happenings that might spike levels.
4. Add satellite bars if needed.
5. When in doubt, overstaff. It is much easier to cut than to call people in.
Guests should have a drink in their hands at all times. Staff accordingly to make sure this happens. While it may sound expensive to have adequate staff, it’s even more costly to understaff. Every second a guest is waiting for a drink is a dollar you’re not taking to the bank. And if they wait long enough, it may turn in to thousands.
Whitney Johnson is the global director of marketing at BookBottles. Contact her at whitney.johnson@bookbottles.com.
