If you look through lots of one-star Yelp reviews, you’ll see many of the same things coming up over and over. Of course people will complain about bad drinks, bad food, and bad service, but what else? Time and time again, customers complain about a bar’s atmosphere. Although atmosphere is hard to describe, it’s crucial in terms of getting customers to your bar—and keeping them happy. A great atmosphere can help you be successful, but a bad one can sabotage you. Here are a few things you might be doing to create a negative atmosphere and culture in your bar.
Your décor is tired.
If your bar looks like it’s straight out of the 80s (and not in a fun nostalgic way!), your customers will think you’re outdated. Uncomfortable seats, old tables, and walls that haven’t been painted in decades definitely aren’t going to help you create a comfortable atmosphere. You have to make sure your bar is a place where people actually want to hang out! If you don’t, they definitely won’t be coming back.
You don’t encourage new customers.
How would you describe your bar’s culture? Would you say your staffers are friendly, welcoming, and quick to help new customers? Or is your bar a place full of regulars-only, where a new customer who walks in feels instantly uncomfortable and out of place? If you and your staff don’t make new customers feel welcomed and at home, your business will have a hard time surviving.
You don’t encourage regulars.
On a different note, how does your bar treat those customers who come back again and again? Do bartenders remember their names and their favorite orders, or do they act like they’ve never seen these customers before? Regulars like to feel wanted, and if your bar doesn’t make them feel that way, then there’s a definite problem with your culture.
There’s nothing to do.
Do you provide fun for your customers, or do you expect them to bring it themselves? If you want to liven up your atmosphere, giving customers something to do is one of the first steps. What sounds more fun—a bar that’s silent except for a few clinking drinks, or a bar that’s full of karaoke or a trivia game? With Buzztime’s BEOND platform, you can provide trivia or arcade games (plus a whole slew of other things) for your customers to play right at their tables. That’s all it takes to create an instantly exciting atmosphere!
Your atmosphere doesn’t match your brand.
What would you think of a family-friendly spot that had dim lighting, or a romantic date-night bar with bright lights over each table? Or what about a casual bar with bartenders wearing coats and ties? Your atmosphere has to match your brand, or else you’ll risk confusing your customers. If they can’t figure out your atmosphere, they probably won’t come back.
Your atmosphere and your culture are tricky things, but by avoiding these pitfalls, you can make sure you don’t sabotage your bar!
Article provided by Buzztime.
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Trusted by over 3,200 bars and restaurants in North America since 1985, Buzztime integrates trivia, card and sports games with in- and out-of-venue messaging and communication tools. With over 4.2 million player registrations on the Buzztime platform and over 52 million games played each year, Buzztime players spread the word and invite friends and family to their favorite Buzztime location to enjoy an evening of fun and competition.