Project update 4: Quids in

The prospect of being thousands of pounds better off each month is one to put a smile on the face of any licensee.

This is the opportunity that Barcena licensee Richard Podesta has been presented with, after a stocktake organised by Sell More, Save More's category champions highlighted a 14 per cent discrepancy between stock coming in and sales being recouped. More importantly, the champions identified where the money was being lost and immediately tightened up on the practices that may have been wasting it.

Business development expert Carl May arranged a company stocktake that found £900 a month was being paid out on refunds. The rest of the losses were accounted for by a general lack of controls and procedures and free pouring rather than the more stringent approach of using measures.

This has been addressed by issuing staff with individual keyfobs, or 'iButtons', meaning they have to 'sign in' to open the tills. This enables Richard to monitor refunds and other transactions.

Training organised by Carl and Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) for Richard and his staff also provided a consistent policy on the limited circumstances in which refunds should be given, and reminded staff of the importance of avoiding wastage. New tills are soon to be introduced, which will break down spirits much more comprehensively. Champions including Carl, CCE and Diageo will work with Richard to agree a pricing structure that will reflect each product's worth fairly.

From now on, Carl and Brulines will also arrange a monthly stocktake for Richard and the other category champions - a priceless resource. Richard says: "This has kick-started me into action. The audit was vital. Had we not had it, had the losses not been put to us so starkly by the stocktakers, I would not have got the iButtons or introduced any of the other measures.

"It is important to stress that this is nobody's fault. We just need generally to tighten up. Clearly we need to find some balance between accounting for every single drop and being speedy and efficient with service."

Carl explains how the stocktake worked: "An opening stocktake was carried out [at the start of the Sell More, Save More project], giving us a platform to monitor usage and wastage. After a month, a second count was taken and, with the itemised till reports, it was possible to highlight areas of discrepancy."

In other developments at Barcena, staff uniforms in the form of matching shirts and aprons provided by InBev have smartened up the image the operation presents to customers.

InBev's introduction of its Brasserie Artois fonts and Beck's Vier to the bar has also provided a stylish appearance, and a new beer, Peeterman Artois, that Richard hopes his customers will gradually be drawn to.

He admits sales of Peeterman so far have not been as he hoped. However, he has negotiated with InBev a promotion to put the wheat beer at the forefront of Barcena customers' minds. "The Brasserie Artois fonts, with their condensation, look fantastic," says Richard, "and soon we are going to be able to offer a free Peeterman chalice glass for every four pints ordered."

Aside from looking at the refunds procedure, the training organised by Carl and CCE also improved the staff's skills in up-selling, customer service and serving soft drinks attractively.

CELLAR​

The Brulines system installed in Barcena's cellar is helping Richard with far more than its core function of measuring draught alcoholic volumes. Brulines Brand Quality Monitoring is also working to scrutinise the quality of the products running through the lines - from temperature, to flow rate to standard of liquid at point of dispense.

Brulines installed the equipment after Barcena's draught beer range was completely changed, incorporating the new InBev products. "To this end, the newly installed system will give specific measurement relating to the performance of new brands and will aid in brand range decisions going forward," says Peter Cockerill, Brulines' brand quality monitoring account manager.

Gathering this information is proving crucial to Richard forging a strong draught beer offering, and should help him continue to do so in the months ahead.

FOOD​

Barcena customers are being wowed by new menus designed and put together by Brakes in conjunction with Richard and his kitchen staff.

Brakes had been busy working in the kitchen with Barcena chefs to rationalise their existing breakfast and lunch menus. Morning customers will now find dishes including omelette and ham and cheese croissant melt, and customers later in the day can tuck into Barcena signature ciabattas or burgers.

The menus have a slick design courtesy of Brakes' channel marketing manager Anne Mulcahy. She has also worked with Richard on displaying specials on blackboards, and at other points, including A-boards outside.

She says: "All the great work being done on the food will be wasted if it isn't marketed correctly. Good, easy-to-use menus that really sell the food were what was needed. An A-board for outside, where there was a large amount of passing trade potential,

and a blackboard for inside were essential additions."

Richard believes that the new menus "will all make Barcena look more professional. If that is the case, it gives the image of being professional backstage too, where the food is actually prepared. The presentation gives us more visibility and people a clearer idea of what we have to offer."

He adds that a new children's menu is "going to print as we speak".

EXTERIOR​

The improvement of Barcena's exterior continues apace. Richard has gathered together a limited but suitable set of outdoor tables and chairs. InBev has also provided some branded screens and windbreakers to partition off this area.

This has enabled Barcena to match the other bars on Burgess Hill high street, many of which offer outdoor seating.

"Without a doubt, this allows us to compete far more," says Richard. "It will be even more useful when smokers are forced to go outside after the smoking ban starts."

Another striking element that customers passing Barcena will soon see is a revamped façade. Property refurbishment consultant Mercury has provided Richard with several proposals for new colour schemes to brighten the façade and help attract more evening trade.

Some of these designs have been modelled on other businesses, explains Mercury marketing and development manager Brian Canavan.

These are two of the colour scheme options. Richard prefers a full cream colour fascia, though Mercury is keen to persuade him of the merits of a darker colour, which will have fewer maintenance problems.

Mercury has used Richard's Barcena logo as the basis for this signage proposal. The company has suggested a raised-profile sign to increase visibility and to allow for backlighting to be introduced at a later stage if deemed necessary. This could be made and lit for around £1,200.