TRAINING THE TRAINER
THE CRITICAL LINK
Many general managers recognize the advantages of investing time and money into beverage training for service staff. Wine, beer and spirits are complex products, and servers need to feel as comfortable discussing beverage options as they do menu items. Well-informed employees have more self-confidence and take more pride in their performance. Operations with active training programs see growth in their sales and return business, as well as a reduction in staff turnover.
However, the single employee most in need of wine knowledge is also the one most frequently overlooked when beverage training is planned. The first step in any education program is to train the trainer, to provide the beverage manager with the tools they will need to do their job well.
The beverage manager is in charge of everything from selecting new products to leading service training, but most begin with no prior beverage experience. Each new recruit is at a disadvantage; unfamiliar with standard systems, naive as a buyer and insecure as a staff trainer. The majority learn their trade informally, often improvising in the trenches. Starting from scratch puts the beverage manager in an awkward position, and does a disservice to the restaurant as a whole. Nothing erodes self-confidence or causes as much stress as feeling poorly equipped in a position of authority.
INVEST IN A KEY PLAYER
Supplemental education for beverage managers is a solid investment for any restaurant. In one stroke, a general manager can strengthen the whole team by building managerial expertise. Well-informed beverage managers are able to keep up with trends and train staff more effectively, boosting morale in the process. The return is a healthier beverage program, both in customer service and sales.
Where the beverage program is ambitious and the budget allows, underwriting off-site education or long-distance learning courses for the bar manager is effective on many levels. Skills and knowledge develop quickly in formal courses, where side by side tasting reinforces each lesson. Even partial reimbursement for career development engenders loyalty and pride in a key staff member. But, there are more affordable alternatives for cash-strapped restaurants.
WHEN MONEY IS TIGHT, INVEST TIME INSTEAD
Training the trainer requires only the will to make it happen. Evaluating an employee’s proficiency and encouraging improvement does not require a greater depth of knowledge. Nor should educating the beverage manager break the bank. All that is needed is to recognize the need as a priority and handle it proactively. Knowledge is power, and a well-informed beverage manager is worth their weight in gold. Try these practical ideas to help train the trainer on even the tightest of budgets, by dedicating time to creative problem-solving.
MAKE TIME FOR TRADE EVENTS
Allotting monthly ‘flex-time’ for outside activities can be a cost effective strategy for training the beverage manager. Suppliers host educational events regularly, but getting off-site to attend can be a challenge for managers working long hours. Opportunities to broaden their experience are often passed up, since extra-curricular activities are generally viewed with suspicion by their superiors.
Promotional events may be advertorial in nature, but suppliers know it is education that drives attendance and boosts sales in the long term. While product samples are presented in guided seminars, walk-around tastings and winemaker luncheons, the real focus is on providing information. Both tasting experience and knowledge are on offer for those who make time to participate.
Assess upcoming events for priority and assign them as responsibilities. Set focused educational goals, like comparing old world and new world chardonnays at a portfolio tasting. Incorporate related management tasks, like selecting candidates for next season’s house chardonnay. Have the beverage manager report their conclusions and results, as a means of evaluating progress and gauging their comfort explaining complex beverage ideas.
ASSIGN PROJECTS THAT INFORM AND EMPOWER
Assign advanced educational tasks that will have useful results for the entire staff. Having your beverage manager develop in house training materials kills two birds with one stone. Not only will they master each topic themselves, but their work product can be used to train others.
Invest in a few reference books to gather information from, and encourage surfing online as a supplementary resource. Ask for a back-bar binder to combine overviews on categories with specific details on products you feature. Use a proprietary format and don’t accept supplier fact sheets. Expect product notes and definitions to be entered into the POS system for any server to access or print for guests. Or, encourage thee manager to develop an index card catalog of beverage trivia questions to incorporate into pre-meal meetings and incentive programs.
© Marnie Old and Old Wines LLC 2006