Running and maintaining a successful wine bar takes a lot of preparation, hard work, and industry knowledge. If you currently own a wine bar, and you want to improve your business, there are several things you can do to take your business up a notch.
Ambiance
The first thing customers will notice when they visit your wine bar is how the place looks. Décor, lighting, and the layout of your restaurant will likely be a significant component when people decide if they liked their experience or if they will come back in the future. Small businesses rely on repeat customers and good reviews, so you want to ensure that each guest you have is impressed as soon as they walk in.
Invest in sturdy yet comfortable furniture, ambient lighting, and decorations that match whatever vibe or theme you want to convey. Make sure any music you have playing is not so loud that people have to shout to hear each other.
Wine Selection
Another crucial yet sometimes overlooked necessity of running an esteemed wine bar is your wine selection. Different types of wine will have varying ethyl alcohol levels, so you want to have something for everyone. The alcoholic beverage industry is competitive, so having a wide range of wines from places all over the world will help you stand out.
Besides wine, you can serve other alcoholic beverages like cocktails and beer. When deciding what types of alcohol you will carry, make sure you know what licenses you’ll need to do so legally. You’ll also want to find a reliable distributor, so you always get your different types of alcohol on time.
Knowledgable Employees
Without well-trained and knowledgable employees, you’ll have a hard time running a successful wine bar. Your team members not only represent the company, but they are there to provide information and advice to your customers on the different wine selections. Setting up a thorough training program for new team members and hiring an experienced leadership team is the best way to ensure your employees can deliver the best customer service possible. Yearly performance reviews will also help to keep your employees motivated and learning new things.
Good Food
Any popular wine bar also serves good food. Not only is it usually a legal requirement to serve food at a bar, but it allows your customers’ experience to be even better if they have great food to pair with their alcoholic drinks. Hire an experienced chef that can either craft a new menu or rework your current one to feature dishes that pair well with the different wines you carry. Just remember to keep portions reasonably sized since most wine bars don’t serve gratuitous meals.
Track Progress and Set Goals
Another critical part of running a profitable wine bar is keeping track of your goals through OKRs. Analyzing key results will allow you to see how the bar is performing regarding your previously set goals, and what actions you need to take to improve those key results. Use the best software for tracking OKRs that you can find to make it easier to stick to a strategic plan and track the progress of your entire company.
You also want to monitor your employee data. Observing your team members as they work, defining the key results of your employees, and tracking employee engagement will help you see in which areas your team members may need improvement or how they can increase productivity.
Running a wine bar is hard work, especially if you want to elevate your business. Mindfully cultivating a comfortable atmosphere, offering an extensive wine and food selection, keeping your employees knowledgable, and using OKRs to monitor your bar’s progress will help you to meet your goals and have an exceptional wine bar.
