When a person owns a bar, one of the most important aspects of making it successful is training the bartenders. Certain things need to be done to ensure the training is effective.
The first rule of training is always to use an employee handbook. Anyone that works as a bartender needs to have a copy of the handbook for him or herself. This employee manual should clearly explain company policy as well as the company’s culture. It also needs to explain to employees how to best deal with any conflicts with customers. It should also include information on what an employee should do if he or she becomes unable to work a scheduled shift.
Bartending is a difficult job even under the best of circumstances. It will be easier for everyone involved if bartenders are trained and certified to make and serve alcoholic drinks. Depending on where a bar is located, the law may state all bartenders need to be certified. But even if it doesn’t, this is always an excellent step to take anyway.
When it comes time for in-house training, bartenders should be taught the proper way to use tools such as jiggers. This helps bartenders add the correct amount of liquor to drinks. Failure to use jiggers correctly, or at all, often results in wasted alcohol, which turns into wasted profits for the bar. It also means drinks may taste different depending on which bartender made them. But consistency in drinks is the biggest concern of any customer in a bar.
Those bars that choose not to use jiggers teach their bartenders free pouring. This is an important skill to have for the same reason why most bars use jiggers. A simple counting method can be taught to avoid inconsistencies in drinks when it comes to the amount of alcohol used.
Bartenders should always be trained to work safely. This involves teaching them how to keep the bar area and tools clean and how to avoid breaking glass into the ice bin, which can lead to customers accidentally swallowing ice. Without proper training, many things can go wrong in a bar, and they can have disastrous consequences for the business. Thus, adequate training for bartenders is essential to operate a bar successfully.