If you want to make your business more profitable, understanding what customers want is a pivotal first step, but you should not stop there. When it comes to customer experience, some factors reduce sales again and again. Here are the biggest customer complaints – so you can avoid them.
EXCESSIVE NOISE:
Music is one of the quickest ways to set the atmosphere in your bar, whether it’s a delicate classical tone or a vibrant festival atmosphere you wish to create. Yet overloud music is one of the foremost reasons that potential customers will move on to somewhere else, and for good reason; it can cause lasting damage to the ear drums. Make sure your beats don’t beat away custom.
DENSE CROWDS:
A packed bar is great for business, less so for your guests. Know your busiest times and do not admit above capacity. You could also experiment with alternative table and seating arrangements to create the maximum space for your customers to enjoy their drinks comfortably.
DIRTY GLASSES:
Dirty glasses are hugely off-putting – especially when they are only spotted once a sip has been taken. Make sure you have enough clean glasses for busy periods and that any dirty glass, and the drink it holds, are swiftly replaced.
GETTING ASKED FOR ID:
This grievance is somewhat trickier. While having to root around for I.D. in a packed bar delays the ordering process and frustrates some customers, the costly penalties for both the establishment and the individual make this one issue on which staff must stand firm. However, bartenders should always remain polite and strive to present an understanding of the customer’s predicament where no I.D. is available.
DISINTERESTED BARTENDERs:
Treat each customer like the hottest celebrity of the day! Invest time hiring staff with upbeat attitudes and training them in how best to deploy this. Just as sullen staff can turn custom away, little details like remembering names, drinks or simply acknowledging customers as soon as you see them can turn a chance visit into a regular drinking spot.
DULL ATMOSPHERE:
Make sure your guests always have a reason to stay longer by offering amusing events and lively entertainment. Whether you have a snooker or football table, a duke box, live music or a team quiz, anything that requires people to group together is always a crowd-pleaser.
BORING BAR MENUS:
Nowadays, customers are more experimental in their bar choices than ever. Raise your creative game with signature cocktails, food or meal and drink pairings. It doesn’t have to be in the style or theme of your bar, try looking to upcoming sporting events, celebrations or your own film or theme nights to spark people’s sense of fun and keep them coming back.
SLOW SERVICE:
Finally, the chief complaint for many bar-goers is not being able access the bar at all. You really don’t want customers waiting more than a few minutes for bar service. It frustrates the customer, putting an added strain on the serving staff. This is where portable bars from Oasis come in – our bars can be placed at any location, and can alleviate pressure on the other bars. They can also be placed where there is a heavy footfall (for example, in a beer garden in the summer months), and can act as a feature bar.