In Part 1 of this post, we discussed two problems you may experience if you are using an outdated liquor inventory system. In this second part we identify three further issues:

You use a clipboard or two people for the counting process.

This is a very outdated and inefficient system. Clipboards are nowhere near as effective as the new technology available which can streamline your liquor counting process. Using a clipboard creates an additional step of transferring information once you are finished counting, making a potentially simple one-step process much more laborious and complicated. It also creates greater margin for error since you are typically performing calculations in your head.

Some bars have eliminated the use of a clipboard by having one employee read data to another employee who enters it into a computer. This is equally inefficient because it forces two people to perform a job that only requires one person to complete when they use dedicated software, voice command technology and a scale.

The Bar-i Solution: We provide you with a sophisticated voice-activated software system that allows you to record all data directly onto a computer spreadsheet, thus eliminating the step of manually transferring this data after recording it on a clipboard. Our mapping system also allows you match the order of products on the spreadsheet to the order products are placed on the shelf in your bar. This is a much faster and more efficient method of counting your liquor inventory.

The Bar-i system also prevents mistakes by eliminating manual calculations (measurements are calculated by weight instead of by percentage of liquor remaining in the bottle). In addition, the software lets you know exactly where you left off if you get interrupted while taking inventory, reducing the chances of missing a bottle during your count.

Your current liquor inventory system provides little or no help with ordering.

Older liquor inventory systems do not make use of pars, and they don’t accurately track the use of individual products so that you know when it’s time to order more or which products to order by the case. As a result, ordering is based on human judgment rather than on actual data.

The Bar-i Solution: Our system tells you exactly how many bottles of a product you typically use in a given time period. We use a dynamic par, which updates automatically as product mix changes, to help you perform your ordering more quickly and accurately and also to reduce over-ordering.

Results are not immediately available.

Older liquor inventory methods often take several days to deliver your results. This makes it very difficult to identify errors because once you notice a problem, the inventory in your bar has changed.

The Bar-i Solution: At Bar-i, we analyze your data and deliver your report very quickly. We identify errors the same day as we receive your data, allowing you to double check problem products before your inventory changes. Quick feedback leads to more effective and relevant results, as well as a more efficient way to check and troubleshoot errors.

If you are tired of the issues associated with an outdated liquor inventory system and would like to learn more about how a more sophisticated, modern system would help you improve the accuracy and efficiency of your results, Bar-i would be happy to speak with you free of charge.

Please contact Bar-i today or call us right now on 303-219-0196 to schedule your free consultation. We provide services to bars nationwide from our offices in Denver, Colorado.