The Art of the Up-Sell
Posted January 8th, 2009 by sean@bevx.com
Up-sell, up-sell, up-sell… is a mantra that has been echoing continuously in the bar business as long as there has been a bar. So why then are we talking about it and why is this seemingly simple practice executed poorly far more than it’s implemented skillfully? I submit that the problem lies in the approach or better still, the philosophy, if you will permit me to use this term. The key to successful up-selling is found under the heading of customer service rather than revenue creation. Perhaps that sounds a bit esoteric but if your business relies on repeat guests, as most do, treating your patrons as if they are numbers won’t inspire them to return. Greater check averages, profits and tips are the results of creating a stellar customer experience; the opposite isn’t always true.
The key to successful up-selling is two fold. First, and foremost, it must be taught and practiced by the entire staff. Once again, there is no substitute for intelligent hiring and effectual training. Second, it is all about intent and attitude. While this may seem to be a bit cryptic, it’s absolutely vital. The intent of up selling is multi-faceted and should be performed in order to: introduce your guests to quality products that spark your passion, establish your business enterprise as a purveyor of quality goods and top-notch service, and to build customer loyalty. The properly executed up-sell results in your guests being appreciative for the knowledge and the experience, while your check average, and tips soar.
Up-selling should never be done with the intent of building a larger check average. This is by far the greatest mistake made by bars, bartenders, and servers. This shortsighted approach will be sniffed-out by your most savvy patrons, the very customers that every establishment seeks. When up-selling is poorly performed, the establishment, and server, may experience sudden but short-lived revenue increases while many customers will become annoyed and worse yet, they feel cheated.
Putting the Up-sell in Motion
Up-selling must be a part of an over-all strategy that includes clever buying, careful hiring, and relentless staff training.
Intelligent buying is integral to successful up-selling. In order to up-sell you must have products and brands to offer as a trade-up for your guests. Offering lesser known, high quality brands in any given category sets the stage for the up-sell. Introducing your guests to a new quality brand that you can describe with authority is a great technique in creating a tremendous guest experience. This requires some homework and often results in you making your distributor reps work harder as well. It’s important that you remember that your salespeople have a specific agenda when they enter your establishment. So should you. If you don’t have a clearly defined game plan, your product selection will most often be a collection of your salesperson’s priority brands. In other words, your back-bar will look just like the majority of your competitor’s.
Specials
Specials are what I refer to as institutional up-sells as they are predetermined and don’t require artful work from your servers. It’s simple to implement, requires very little instruction and it is easy to measure the results on a daily basis. You can often receive tremendous support from your suppliers when introducing specials and with a little creative thinking on your part you can add your own unique twist the campaign. Remember that when your distributor and supplier offer you a program that this is likely being presented to your competitors as well.
Personal Recommendations:
Specials are a tried and true up-sell tool. However, nothing is as special to your customers as a product that was chosen especially for them. Of course, this requires excellent training. Up-selling is all about sales and successful sales is all about listening to and interacting with your customers. A staff that is given their daily marching orders of specials will parrot this list to your guests while a staff that has an intimate knowledge of the products offered by the house can make guest-appropriate suggestions. “Do you want fries with that” is very effective but it fails to leave an impression with your customers.
The simplest on-the-spot interaction is for the server, or bartender, to ask if there is a preferred brand. “I’ll have a gin and tonic” should always be followed with “do you have a preferred gin?” This easy technique is a terrific stepping stone to greater personal customer interaction and product knowledge. When asking if there is a preferred gin you had better be prepared to list the gins that you offer. Beyond a familiarity with the names, I am always impressed when my server shares the name of their favorite brand. This is a deft way of making a recommendation while earning coveted credibility points.
Are You Convinced?
I hope that I have encouraged you to consider up-selling from the other side of equation. Most customers don’t mind paying a bit more as long as they get more. The “more” is all in the experience offered. Let’s face it, every bar offers drinks! When your customers learn a little something, find a new drink or brand, and truly feel like a guest they will be planning their next visit as they are walking out the door. This strategy is easy in theory and challenging in practice. However, nothing worth while is ever a paint-by-number endeavor.
in
Source:
Sean Ludford, BevX - Originally published in Nightclub & BarThe key to successful up-selling is two fold. First, and foremost, it must be taught and practiced by the entire staff. Once again, there is no substitute for intelligent hiring and effectual training. Second, it is all about intent and attitude. While this may seem to be a bit cryptic, it’s absolutely vital. The intent of up selling is multi-faceted and should be performed in order to: introduce your guests to quality products that spark your passion, establish your business enterprise as a purveyor of quality goods and top-notch service, and to build customer loyalty. The properly executed up-sell results in your guests being appreciative for the knowledge and the experience, while your check average, and tips soar.
Up-selling should never be done with the intent of building a larger check average. This is by far the greatest mistake made by bars, bartenders, and servers. This shortsighted approach will be sniffed-out by your most savvy patrons, the very customers that every establishment seeks. When up-selling is poorly performed, the establishment, and server, may experience sudden but short-lived revenue increases while many customers will become annoyed and worse yet, they feel cheated.
Putting the Up-sell in Motion
Up-selling must be a part of an over-all strategy that includes clever buying, careful hiring, and relentless staff training.
Intelligent buying is integral to successful up-selling. In order to up-sell you must have products and brands to offer as a trade-up for your guests. Offering lesser known, high quality brands in any given category sets the stage for the up-sell. Introducing your guests to a new quality brand that you can describe with authority is a great technique in creating a tremendous guest experience. This requires some homework and often results in you making your distributor reps work harder as well. It’s important that you remember that your salespeople have a specific agenda when they enter your establishment. So should you. If you don’t have a clearly defined game plan, your product selection will most often be a collection of your salesperson’s priority brands. In other words, your back-bar will look just like the majority of your competitor’s.
Specials
Specials are what I refer to as institutional up-sells as they are predetermined and don’t require artful work from your servers. It’s simple to implement, requires very little instruction and it is easy to measure the results on a daily basis. You can often receive tremendous support from your suppliers when introducing specials and with a little creative thinking on your part you can add your own unique twist the campaign. Remember that when your distributor and supplier offer you a program that this is likely being presented to your competitors as well.
Personal Recommendations:
Specials are a tried and true up-sell tool. However, nothing is as special to your customers as a product that was chosen especially for them. Of course, this requires excellent training. Up-selling is all about sales and successful sales is all about listening to and interacting with your customers. A staff that is given their daily marching orders of specials will parrot this list to your guests while a staff that has an intimate knowledge of the products offered by the house can make guest-appropriate suggestions. “Do you want fries with that” is very effective but it fails to leave an impression with your customers.
The simplest on-the-spot interaction is for the server, or bartender, to ask if there is a preferred brand. “I’ll have a gin and tonic” should always be followed with “do you have a preferred gin?” This easy technique is a terrific stepping stone to greater personal customer interaction and product knowledge. When asking if there is a preferred gin you had better be prepared to list the gins that you offer. Beyond a familiarity with the names, I am always impressed when my server shares the name of their favorite brand. This is a deft way of making a recommendation while earning coveted credibility points.
Are You Convinced?
I hope that I have encouraged you to consider up-selling from the other side of equation. Most customers don’t mind paying a bit more as long as they get more. The “more” is all in the experience offered. Let’s face it, every bar offers drinks! When your customers learn a little something, find a new drink or brand, and truly feel like a guest they will be planning their next visit as they are walking out the door. This strategy is easy in theory and challenging in practice. However, nothing worth while is ever a paint-by-number endeavor.