Bar-i’s hybrid liquor inventory system achieves excellent results and can help you maximize your profits. Our best clients consistently experience approximately 3% shrinkage compared with an industry standard that is in the 15-20% range.
While our best clients achieve 3% shrinkage, not all of the bars we work with are able to get these results. Some of our clients consistently find that their liquor numbers are a little low. In these situations, it may be difficult to determine which bartender(s) are causing these problems. Bar-i’s system can tell you which individual products are experiencing shrinkage, but not who is causing these products to be missing.
Due to the fact that our inventory reports compile data over a 1-2 week period, our liquor inventory system isn’t set up evaluate the performance of individual bar shifts. This creates a challenge for bar owners who are experiencing higher levels of shrinkage. When results aren’t up to expectations, how do you zero in on the problems in order to determine how to correct them?
Bar-i has recently started rolling out a new spot checker tool with some of our clients. This tool provides a way for you to audit the performance of specific bartenders over individual shifts or days, allowing you identify the cause of your shrinkage issues.
How Does the Spot Checker Tool Work?
Our new spot checker tool provides you with a way to audit the performance of up to 10 items over short periods of time such as a single day or a single shift. Keep in mind that this is not a complete audit. You will still perform your weekly or biweekly audit to determine where your problems are and then use the spot checker tool to zero in on up to 10 of those problems.
We have designed the spot checker as a self-service tool. Count the 10 items to be audited using our liquor scale for extremely precise results. Then, paste in your sales report for the period of time you are evaluating. The spot checker will instantly tell you the results.
In order for the spot checker tool to work correctly, you need to have your POS system set up properly. As long as this is set up correctly, you have a precise system that is easy to use on your own. Most importantly, the spot checker tool is free to use as long as you are performing regular audits with Bar-i.
Benefits of the Spot Checker Tool
Bar-i’s liquor inventory system works by providing detailed, precise, and actionable information about your bar’s performance. Our reports will break down the performance of each individual product in your bar in order to zero in on specific issues. The spot checker tool extends this power by isolating short periods of time such as an individual shift.
By using this tool, you can:
• More effectively understand the issues associated with problem products and check to see if certain bartenders are causing the problem
• Get a better read on pouring precision for high volume products during an individual shift
For example, if a bartender poured 40 shots of well vodka during a shift, the spot checker tool will enable you to evaluate how precisely the bartender poured these shots. This will give you a better understanding of how well your bartenders are performing and offer you an opportunity to provide specific feedback to individual bartenders.
By talking to individual bartenders about how much of a certain product was missing during their shift, or conversely, by congratulating them on how well they made their pours, you can let your staff know that you are monitoring their performance. Not only is this a powerful tool to reduce shrinkage, but it also offers you an opportunity to reward your top bartenders for their good work. Hopefully, this should provide an incentive for the rest of your staff to improve their performance.
Results Achieved by the Spot Checker Tool
We have been slowly rolling out the spot checker tool over the past month. So far, we have seen some impressive results. Many of our bars with persistent underperformance are seeing big gains. One of our clients increased liquor performance from 84% to 97% in a single biweekly audit period by using our spot checker tool.
We have created an instructional video which demonstrates how to use the spot checker tool. We encourage you to watch the video in order to learn more about how this tool can help you improve the performance of your bar.
To find out how our liquor inventory system can benefit your bar and help you maximize profits, please contact Bar-i today to schedule a free consultation. We provide services to bars nationwide from our offices in Denver, Colorado.
