Your employees are the most effective sales people you have
Members of staff are the front-line sales people and they can have a significant impact on the nature of your business because of the influence they can have on consumer purchasing decisions. So says Interbrew on-trade sales director Allan Tudor, who explains: "They have an ongoing relationship with customers that is established over a period of time so their opinions with respect to drinks brands carry some weight. It is, therefore, important that licensees harness these selling skills and encourage staff to talk up' the business for commercial benefit. "Our research shows that this is an under-used selling tool at the moment, which is why we are encouraging more licensees to re-consider the role of staff recommendation in their business." This research shows members of staff only make a recommendation on 6% of purchasing occasions, which means there is a huge untapped opportunity for licensees willing to empower their staff. The importance of staff recommendation is clear from Interbrew UK research, which shows:
51% of consumers will con-sider a brand recommended by staff;
18% want staff advice;
88% of consumers choose the same brand again for their second drink in a pub so, if you can get them into a premium brand early, it can have a big impact on profitability (see box Importance of first drink). How staff can make a difference One of the biggest differences staff can make in influencing a consumer's drinks decision is through suggesting a brand that is more profitable. "Upselling" can also involve increasing the volume of purchase, for example, by encouraging customers to buy a jug of beer rather than a regular round of pints. And upselling can be about encouraging customers to purchase a premium rather than a standard brand, for example, by suggesting that customers try something other than their regular drink. Adopting other upselling techniques can also generate extra revenue. For example, have you considered table service as a way of improving customer service and generating additional income? Tudor adds: "We believe it is in the interests of licensees to encourage staff to have a good knowledge of the brands they sell and their taste, heritage and product characteristics, because they can use this to build the value of drinks sales." Education Ensure your employees have knowledge of the product range in your outlet because this shows interest and illustrates to yourcustomers that you care about the quality of your products and the service you offer. Training Train your staff to pour properly every time and select a training "champion" who will be responsible for all aspects of training and can pass on knowledge to all members of staff and ensure that high standards are maintained. Staff incentives It is worth considering introducing a staff incentive scheme that rewards them for their efforts in terms of sales development.
