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Shatbhi Basu is the pioneer of professional bartending education in India with the Stir Academy of Bartending

There is also the direct approach in situations where you want your staff to earn more but cannot afford to raise their salary and more importantly, you do not want them to leave either. I recommend you link sales to incentives, which is why upselling is so important. Sell more, earn more, simple.

The programme can be direct cash or a layered system where each tier is linked to an aspirational promise. The payout does not come from you, but the vendor, which makes everyone happy.

Also look at cross promotions as the way forward. Consider these options - a glass of wine at 50% with select food; a beer or a glass of wine with lunch or combo meals; branded spiked desserts; special offers on their next visit to already dining-in customers, and a tie-up with popular local stores, salons to offer cross benefits.

Now consider horizontal possibilities, or side-selling, because selling in our business can get extremely monotonous, even boring. In that we tend then not to sell but merely agree. So the key is linked to getting the customer to agree with the seller’s suggestions. The basic “May I help you?” line works very well. If you are able to establish even the smallest level of connection with the main person, you can increase your billing without the customer feeling cheated. Try approaches such as encouraging mocktails to a table that’s not ordering alcohol; suggesting a cocktail; adding starters; offering specials, not necessarily the most expensive; asking the customer what his favourite meats are, then recommending a dish; suggesting seafood, not forcing it; adding an extra main course or a starter as a dry addition to the meal.

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Would you believe, impulse buying works better than the con. I have often got amazing results from simply showing an enthusiastic drinker a new product on the bar by allowing him to touch and see the bottle, or opening it for him to nose while giving him some knowlwedge on its heritage and style. And bingo, you have a sale. Much like the flaming Irish coffee being made at the next table most cannot resist.

So how far do we take the conning guests and play on their ignorance? It is a fair question to ask where to draw the line. A friend went to a very well known restaurant with colleagues and ordered a round of Caipirojkas. The order taker suggested they be made with Ciroc, which is a very expensive vodka, without offering an explanation or the price difference. My friend agreed, only to later fall off his chair when he saw his bill. He felt cheated and made no bones about it, and left with a very bad taste.

Another underhand way to get bigger billing is by using children, that is, bringing drinks or desserts to the table saying the kids ordered it. Only a very hard-hearted parent would make the waiter take it back. So this is definitely not done.

To keep sales going in this environment is tough, much like a marriage. To make it last, you have to be realistic and open towards change, sensitive to the environment and work towards keeping it together, especially when the going gets tough. It is difficult, sometimes almost gut-wrenching, but not impossible.

Successful selling points

• Set an impressive bar display
• Get a bartender who knows his drinks
• Allow touch and feel; present a new product, allow nosing
• Encourage tasting to encourage impulse buying
• Use visual tent cards, it quietly sells for you while at the table
• Use a clear menu, one with easy navigation and clarity of spend, not long and winding
• Design the menu with interesting names and exciting explanations
• Play up on the eye appeal, use flamboyant presentations for both food and drink
• Consider interactive concepts such as the flambé on table
• Use a visual dessert counter wherever possible because it is always attractive

Shatbhi Basu is the pioneer of professional bartending education in India with the Stir Academy of Bartending. With over 100 hotel and restaurant projects in almost a three-decade career, she also consults with the alcobev segment and is a popular TV host. She can be contacted at shatbhi@shatbhibasu.com