How to open your institution: advice from the founder of a network of wine bars
His Work / / December 26, 2019
Eugene Katchalov
Founder of online wine bars "wine market».
Having worked in various positions in different companies, many come to the decision to create something of their own. At first glance, your own business - it is entirely your field, your choice, your interests. But also a big responsibility and risks, especially financial. Opened four years ago, his first wine bar, I was faced with many challenges, has worked on the bugs, I found the right decisions and is ready to share its experience.
Decide on the concept
Initially, I wanted to open is not a wine bar and wine boutique, as the scope of work and the scheme was to me familiar. But my partner wanted something close to the wine bar. As a result, we decided to create something between a vinotheque and bar.
The project was conceived as a wine boutique, where people would have been nice to go at any time, to drink a glass wine and buy a bottle or more of himself. We stood all three tables, was a minimum set of appetizers like olives for wine and cheese, it was not the usual wine list, a wide range of wine was presented on the shelves, and all prices are on bottles.
But the choice of this format stores has not justified itself: the first month of operation showed that it is necessary to adjust the format. Visitors tasted wine at our tasting, but not in a hurry to buy its boxes. On the other hand, people like to sit at the tables in the room and drink wine. We gradually increased the number of seats, and they certainly were filled. Then it was decided to abandon the store format and develop the project it as a bar.
All this preface to the fact that the choice of the concept - the most important stage.
You need to understand who your audience is, what are you going to propose to her and you want to get to the exit.
If, as in my case, you still make a mistake with the choice, the main thing - time to understand and take on work on the bugs measures prevent total failure.
Find the ideal room
Decide on the location of your institution. Better if it will be in the center, with a good cross, but not necessarily on the first line. The presence of a number of good residential cluster - a definite plus. The room is better to take in non-residential building, but it is in an ideal: such sites are rare, especially in Moscow. Besides the cost of their rent too high. Another option - the first floor of a residential building, but be prepared for possible conflicts with neighbors.
A wine bar fit very small rooms, approximately 100 m², the majority of restaurateurs who are not ready to take. And rent a site will cost you much cheaper.
Be sure to lay the considerable sum on repairs. Unfortunately, most often placed under the catering shall not in the best condition. At the site of one of our bars used to be a lawyer's office, and a million rubles, we spent only for repair: it was necessary to demolish the walls, paint the walls white, office and so on.
Participate in every breath project
Yes, of course, you need a team that you can trust, but simply watch from the sidelines still will not work for business development. The best way to understand the project - immerse yourself in all its details. Go through training at all positions, from the waiter to the administrator, go to the full shift. This will give you the experience and understanding of the work in all, even the smallest detail.
When communicating with the guests in the hall you can get excellent feedback, see the reactions and emotions of the guests, to better understand their preferences and expectations, and to adjust the work in the right direction.
I kind of experience really helped. Working in the hall, I could see that in a wine bar people come for the atmosphere, the mood, and live communication. They want a little bit more than just a good service. Guests want engagement, attention, elementary smile and kind eyes. I realized that the story of the emotional service - this is something that not enough people. Just good service, the waiter politely put the plate - it's great, but not enough. Experience shows that the more emotion gets a visitor from visiting places, the faster it ceases to be a critic, and gets to your side.
motivate team
The main emotional charge are, of course, employees. But often the owners of the restaurants overlook one important point: the employee must not only charge the guest with positive emotions, but also the feel of them. And if your co-worker perfectly fulfilled all the action, but felt at that moment negative emotions, the guest is sure to be feeling them.
As a leader you have to show the team how important the contribution and role of each in the restaurant life. Always try to capture the emotional background and the climate in the team.
It is important to pay special attention staff selection. These should be people who are in principle willing to offer such a service. Unfortunately, not everyone can work with emotions.
You can teach the basic techniques of the service as a whole, but learn to smile, feel the people, socialize and give warm feedback - it is impossible.
Try to give each employee the most open, maintain the corporate culture, pay a maximum time and team strength. Arrange training, internal events, corporate lunches, field trips.
For example, we send the best staff in the winery: interesting guys spend their time resting, gain new knowledge, charged with emotions and come back full of impressions and motivation to move forward. More great example - corporate breakfast, where you can meet the whole company and take stock.
When employees know they need us, they can always find support in the team, infected by a common idea and understand that the higher the results, the more successful the company, they are more involved in process. Then the result will not take long.
Tell me about yourself
If you believe that immediately after the opening of the restaurant near the door formed a queue, it is not so. Especially if this is your first project and you do not have the name on the market. Word of mouth has worked well at all times, but now it is not enough. With the current competition (and the last few years the restaurant industry has made a bold leap forward) became even more difficult to interest the visitor, affect him, that he has chosen among the variety of your institutions. And it was impossible to ignore the tools such as the maintenance of social networks and media work.
Tell me about yourself, about the news and events, whether it be a new menu, achievement or event, share moments of the life of the project and the team.
You can attract bloggers and opinion leaders, to work with your existing audience and attract new at the expense of the media.
Also today, many are paying attention to promoting personal brand restaurateur. The guests began to take projects through the personal brand of the founder, and one can observe an interest not only to the institution but also to the people who stand behind it.
The restaurant business is very risky. The last couple of years, the market is particularly rapidly transformed, and the guests are becoming more informed and selective. Therefore, in the restaurant business it is very important to keep abreast, follow the trend or to dictate their own. Quickly adapt to external factors, whether it's fashion trends and unstable economic situation. Listen to the views of their guests, but at the same time follow the selected concept and not try to be comfortable for everyone.
see also
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