Everything you wanted to know about pub customers...
How well do you know your customers? You might be all too aware that Ethel's been under the doctor with her knee again, you've heard the ins and outs of Bob's argy-bargy with the gas company, and Bianca's ill-fated fling with the fishmonger is all over town.
But that's not the kind of information that's going to help you grow your business. Traditionally, good publicans have relied on instinct and personal knowledge to give customers what they want. But that may no longer be enough, and leading pub operators are starting to look at more scientific methods.
A number of them have been involved in an in-depth pilot study of pub-goers by a company that has a well established reputation for doing the same job on shoppers - him!
Over the summer him! commissioned surveys that quizzed customers on a whole range of questions as they arrived at, and left, pubs.
While the detailed results will be known only to the pub companies involved, some top-line findings were unveiled at the official launch of this on-going research, known as OnTrack.
One disturbing figure that perfectly illustrates the need for what marketeers call 'consumer insight' is that even before most of the UK was hit by the smoking ban, and ahead of the dismal summer that dampened trade, the percentage of people visiting a pub in a typical week fell from 21 per cent in March 2006 to 15 per cent in March 2007.
A better understanding of how people make the decision to visit the pub, and how they behave when they're there might help the trade to explain why, and what they might do about it.
That's been happening with other kinds of retail outlets for years, and him! sales and marketing director Tom Fender, for one, believes the information has helped convenience stores grow weekly visitors from 23 per cent to 28 per cent in the same period.
"We've listened to 15 million shoppers over the years and we know about shopping and consumers, we understand what happens and why," he says. "We know that price, for instance, is not the most important thing.
"There is a perception that different retail channels are distinct. But I believe we're essentially talking about the same consumer and I'm convinced the differences are not as important as the similarities. The on-trade has something to learn from the success of convenience stores.
"And it's in a wonderful position, there are exciting opportunities, and we want to help the industry to take advantage."
10 things you ought to know about your customers...
46% spend less than an hour in the pub. An average visit lasts 80 minutes, and few linger longer in the pub than they intend to. And the average spend per visit is £8.83, 40p less than they intended when they arrived and the equivalent of one sale being lost every three visits
17% have never been in your pub before - first impressions count, so make sure you make an impact
19% go to the pub alone, 24 per cent come with a partner, 38 per cent with friends and nine per cent with their families
36% come for 'a quiet drink'. Only 26 per cent are there to eat, just four per cent are enjoying a special occasion and a mere one per cent will be in a business meeting - it all means there could be opportunities to expand your trade
5% go to your pub every day. The average pub-goer will visit once every five days
36% say 'atmosphere' is the most important thing about a pub. For 35 per cent it's prices, 30 per cent are most interested in the range of food and drink on offer, 26 per cent like friendly staff and for 19 per cent the pub has to be clean and tidy
73% only visit one pub in a day. 'Circuit' drinking is less important than you might think
56% of ale drinkers know how much a pint costs in your pub compared to 42 per cent of lager drinkers and the 25 per cent of spirits drinkers and 22 per cent of wine drinkers who know the price of their drinks
91% stick with the same drink while they're in the pub
