Kelly Smith asks the people behind some of the industry's top training courses what it takes to run the perfect pub
Steve Abbott
Senior category innovation manager, Diageo
Describe your vision of the perfect pub. What do people need to do to get it right?
I see the foundations of the perfect pub as "environment, service, products" (which is why our training programme is called ESP), so it's one that gets the environment right every time - the appearance, the cleanliness, the comfort - one that delivers great service through well-motivated, well-trained staff every time, and one that matches its customers with the right product range at the right time.
We have this motto at Diageo: "Provide customers with positive surprises every time." For a pub, this could be exceeding those ESP standards by providing that little bit extra.
What's the next step for the trade in terms of training and how can suppliers help achieve this?
By identifying that one-size-fits-all isn't going to fit the pub of the future. Instead of us taking a blanket approach, we'll be tailor-making training to specific pub, customer and occasion types.
My philosophy is that the expectations of environment, service and product are going to increase. Consumers will become even more discerning, have even more great retail experiences at home and abroad, and increasingly want to know a bit more about the products and services provided.
We need to match their increasing levels of sophistication with an increasing level of training. With our ESP programme we're going to take a linear approach to each different pub, so we'll be spending a bit more time talking to licensees about the market in which they're operating, the consumer types they're attracting and what that means for their businesses.
What's your vision of the ideal pub-training model?
It's increasingly likely that we'll engage bar staff in an interactive training model, a combination of some tutoring but more on-the-job training. Grabbing a load of people, teaching them one thing and coming back in six months isn't going to cut it.
Training really does need to become an ongoing part of a pub's business culture.
Nick Marchant
Director, Goldminds
Describe your vision of the perfect pub. What do people need to do to get it right?
Great pubs have individual personalities and are special for different reasons. I think pubs often suffer and have their strengths diluted when they try to become all things to all people. A great pub can be like a friend who's always there for you. It's somewhere that makes you feel comfortable, that nourishes you and puts a smile on your face - a haven full of the good things in life: great food and drink in a comfortable environment with good people.
What do people need to do to get it right?
Investing in its people is the shrewdest and most cost-effective investment a pub can make. Your front line is your bottom line. Make staff feel valued by giving them the tools to empower and express themselves. They need to see things from a customer's perspective. This thoughtfulness can be what makes the difference. Also, a good attitude is infectious.
How can licensees get the most from training?
I recommend the following:
l Recruit and retain. Staff retention can be improved dramatically by keeping staff engaged. This can be through running fun incentives, continuing to challenge and support them so they grow and develop. A good relationship with your supplier might give you opportunities to visit breweries and distilleries and enjoy some corporate hospitality - taking your best performing members of staff can be great motivation and a good education.
l Prioritise. Keep it simple, concentrate on doing the most important things well.
l Buddy systems. Train on-shift to cut costs - pair up strong members of staff with new recruits.
l Measurement. Get a grasp on how successful your training is and identify where you are wasting money or where you need more investment.
What will pub training look like in the future?
The pub training model of the future will be motivated by a demand for substantially higher standards, which can be achieved through a more effective partnership between the Learning & Skills Council and the pub industry. They need to work together to develop more respected and relevant nationally-accredited qualifications. And we need to work out a system whereby what is learnt on these courses is easily adapted to fulfil the demands of individual businesses.
I think someone within each pub needs to be specifically responsible for the training and standards of service. They would be supported by a centralised training director and the resources they have developed. This is where technological advances will play a big role. Training programmes and resources will be accessed through the internet, making much greater use of different media. In this way we can make expert training available to everyone.
Daniel Davies
Chief executive, CPL training
Describe your vision of the perfect pub. What do people need to do to get it right?
Firstly, it's important the right person is running the right pub for them. The perfect pub is one that welcomes people, one that has the right mix of people and the right environment - and that's achieved through members of staff, who look to the management to lead them and give off the right sort of vibes.
Changing behaviour is crucial. A lot of people who go on courses have a certain amount of cynicism - they may turn up and feel they don't really want to be there and think it's just about having a piece of paper to get the job. Staff need to understand why you're investing in them if they're to buy into the bigger picture.
What's the next step for the trade in terms of training?
We've got to have progression. As an industry we've been severely tested with licensing reform and the smoking ban, among other challenges. But if pubcos and individual operators increase the knowledge and skills of their workforce, they'll get much more out of them. It's also good for the employees, who will have the qualifications to move forward.
People are starting to buy into why they should have qualifications and training. As trainers, our part is about giving them a taste for training and ensuring they sustain this progression.
How can we achieve this?
Training has to be easily available, accessible and affordable and should be delivered by qualified trainers with sector experience, who are able to use real-life examples.
Also, there's far more credibility in having an awarding body giving you a certificate than in an internal qualification. It's important we offer a wide range of qualifications and supply advice and information on an ongoing basis. Lifelong learning is crucial, particularly as this industry is changing constantly.
Karen Caddick
Group HR director, Punch Taverns
Describe your vision of the perfect pub. What do people need to do to get it right?
When you walk into a really great pub you get an absolute feeling of it being a really hospitable, friendly and relaxing environment. We visited quite a few pubs recently, and when we analysed some we thought had that kind of feel about them, it wasn't so much about the decor (some had recent investments, some hadn't), it was about the people inside.
The people who get it right are the people who really understand their customer base and are constantly thinking, what is it that's going to make the environment feel like that? Beneath that sense of "this is a great pub" there is a whole load of stuff going on, on a daily basis, in terms of good professional standards of cleanliness and the small touches.
It should be a bit like walking into someone's house - getting that feeling that here's a place where people actually care about their surroundings.
It's also about eye contact. Pubs are a very h