If you want good bar business you don’t have to know that disco songs run between 115 and 130 beats a minute (though, it’s a cool factoid to share with guests).
You just need to smile when a supplier walks into your bar or restaurant and let the song playing in your head be John Paul Young ‘s 1977 hit Love Is In The Air rather than Chopin’s Funeral March.
Approaching the beverage manager / bars and suppliers / vendors relationship with the right attitude will open doors and build great futures for you, your team, your guests, and the liquor brands you pour. It’s a proven fact.
Volkan Koc, Director of food & beverage at The Delphi in Los Angeles subscribes to this theory for all the f&b outlets on property, and looks to build relationships with vendors who share his philosophy and respect his time.
Koc points out that his needs for the diner Denae’s is different than those in the Lounge, The Delphi. Differing menus aside Koc needs reps to come in at the right time.
That’s when he isn’t busy and can give them the time they deserve. He shares his preference, “Planning ahead is crucial for productivity.
It definitely needs to be when we are not busy. We’re closed in the diner between 3-5 PM so that’s when I do all my interviews and meet with all my vendors.”
Vendors have a good shot at getting the attention of industry vet Frankie Stavrianopoulus if they’re considerate.
Overseeing Lupoli restaurant operations, and opening a new spot, Bosa, in Haverhill, Massachusetts, is a busy time and so Stavrianopoulus relies on his suppliers to understand his needs as well as their own if they want to win and keep the business.
Of course, a knowledgeable distributor won’t come in at the height of service, but otherwise he’s a bit flexible as he says, “Sometimes my schedule doesn’t align with yours and vice versa. The reality is that it’s not a perfect world. But you also want to provide times/blackout times for distributors that are a no-no and setting up a calendar is important. So, while it’s okay to pop in when you can everyone has to understand that I may not have time for you. There is a balancing act there.”
At Mama Shelter Hollywood Bar Manager Jalen Lewis got his start in membership relations at a country club in northern California, so he knows all about the importance of balancing relationships.
He remarks on the best way to approach him and says, “Your relationship between bars and suppliers, it really is a relationship. They have needs, I have needs. Especially when it comes to allocated liquors; they need me, and I need them. So, if I could tell them how best to make it work, I’d say, ‘find out my usual days and meet me when the business makes sense. If you approach me during peak hours I say ‘call back.’ That’s someone who wants to sell liquor, not someone who wants to see an account succeed.”
At Grey Goose Brand Ambassadeur North America (US & Canada) Emile Chaillot’s reason for getting up every day, and the charge he sets for his team daily, is to make an account succeed.
He notes, “The process of account visits is part of our day-to-day job, making sure we create and keep close relationship with our accounts and their staff. As brand ambassadors, we need to be here for them. On one end, we can be bringing ideas about engaging programs that will benefit the account but also create customer engagement and brand awareness. But also supporting them with idea and projects they have and how we can work together to create the best in class experience for their guests. I strongly believe account visits is really the key to create and maintain a good and sane relationship, showing them, we are here to contribute to their success and understand their need beyond just a case deal.”
According to Rick Powanda, Lead Bartender at BABS, the new restaurant concept from James Beard Award winning chef, Nina Compton, that just opened in her old Bywater American Bistro space in New Orleans a case deal is going to fall flat on its face and be one and done if you don’t provide the connectivity Chaillot and his team exhibit.
He explains what it takes to make the sale, and then another and another and another, “As soon as someone takes out a spec sheet and starts reading off it, I’m less inclined to buy it. But if you’re one of those people who come in and I expect this real quick rundown of what it is you’ve got to show me and 30 minutes goes by and in the back of my head I’m thinking I have to get so much done but you’re talking about terroir and about the jimadors, well, that’s what I want. I want those people who want to get the excitement off their chest, I want to meet that person who is elated to take this bottle, crack it open and talk about it.”
He continues, “We’re in a guest/host relationship. Patrons are not in our restaurant, they’re in our house. When you’re with people like that you want to have stories. So if you just want to give me a spec sheet and tell me this is the elevation of where the product is grown I am not interested. No dude, tell me about the guy growing it. Because if you don’t have that interest in it, then I’m not interested.”
It’s up to both bars and suppliers to set expectations, needs and boundaries out there clearly.
Doing so from all sides enhances the business as Chaillot wraps up with some ideas about what makes a successful visit, “Account visits may vary from one account to the other and what we want to achieve. Let’s take the example of an account working on a new cocktail menu. There are few points I will make sure to cover prior the meeting such as connecting with my local advocacy and commercial team to look at what educational and/or commercial program were executed in the past that were successful or not, what brand from our portfolio they are carrying or not carrying, what are the growth and support opportunities, and for sure, what their current cocktail menu is looking like and what are they looking to adjust. That part helps me to understand what potential angle I can explore for the meeting to come to present some solutions that will respond to their demand.”
Knowing how to respectfully meet those demands means love will forever be in the air.
SIPS TO SAVOR
We’re in love with the first Elijah Craig Barrel Proof release of 2024. This is the 12th year that the brand has offered expressions in the barrel poof line, and the 119.0 proof spirit kicks off the new year right.
With an age statement of 10 years and 9 months reflecting the youngest bourbon in the batch), this sipper delivers warming round notes you’d expect from your favorite bourbon and just the right essence of barrel you desire.
Of course, you could mix it, but why mess with sipping perfection? Want to make Valentine’s Day really special? Give a bottle to someone you love (and keep one for yourself). MSRP $74.99
