Sub-3 mins: Optimising Your VIP Dispense for Pace

We all know that efficiency is key to delivering a premium customer experience. When guests pay big dollars (or Euros or pounds), they expect things to be handled without delay.

Often forgotten, though, is that venues operate to an immovable deadline. Assuming you don't trade 24 hours, you have a limited window to optimise sales. As the last drinks approach, both staff and guests get increasingly tired and less motivated to consume.

So how do you speed your team up to do, sell and engage more before the motivation wanes?

The key to unlocking pace lies in your dispense, where guest orders and payments for bottles, mixers, and other service items are processed. A slow, or disorganised dispense can cause customer frustration, missed upsell opportunities, and an overall negative impact on the perceived luxury of the VIP experience.

When we start with a new venue, our first objective is to reduce average order turnaround to under three minutes. Here's how we do it:

1.  Adopt a Data-Driven Approach

As the saying goes, you can't manage what you don't measure. We start by observing service flow and logging the times of key service steps: Arrival, Payment, First Order, Order Arrival, Upsell Request, Delivery and so on.

This allows us to become clear on bottlenecks and training/system needs.

2. Abandon Chat Groups and Radio For Ordering.

WhatsApp and other chat programs have established themselves as the gold standard for team management and clubs. In reality, these chaotic tools become graveyards for important information and requests.

Radios are effective for incident response, but they have their own challenges for task management: Who can hear the difference between "Apple" and "Pineapple" in an EDM set?

Step two involves replacing these tools for more reliable systems and procedures.

3. Make a Distinction Between Service and Fulfilment

One of the most significant disruptions to fast service is when a server waits at dispense for bottles or service items to be fulfilled.

It's easy to see why. During the night's chaos, the dispense is an appealing place to be: tucked away from crowds, able to chat with colleagues and have a sense of control. However, while the waiter or waitress is out of sight, they also miss opportunities to engage with guests. That impromptu round of shots, piece of client information or another bottle gets missed.

We believe VIP Servers should focus on building relationships and driving upsells, while runners and bar-backs handle fetching items. A good way to support this is through the establishment of sub-operating teams comprising 3-4 VIP Servers to 1 Busser. This will help ensure accountability regarding roles without overwhelming any one team member.

4. Optimise Your Dispense Layout

Implement a simple, clear order management system to avoid mistakes and missed orders. This might include service rules like "no bottle goes out until fully paid", which, if followed, help streamline service.

Depending on the size of the venue, dividing dispense into two stations, "Paid Bottles" and "Everything Else," avoids disrupting seated tables while payments are being collected.

It's also good to pre-prepare as much as possible, organizing bottles and presentation tools and ensuring that they are fully charged. This will help you avoid panic when a particular bottle or glorifier is needed.

5. Leverage the Right Technology

When used effectively, good technology can reduce uncertainty, physical footsteps, and human error - all of which are hard to avoid in an environment known for crowds, noise, and poor visibility. Mobile POS terminals allow VIP servers to place orders without ever leaving the table, allowing Runners to send bottles to where they are needed.

As with our notes regarding group chats, we caution against the use of technology in a manner that creates communication black holes or erodes trust. A typical example is "docket printing" orders from a mobile POS. If they cannot see dispense, waitstaff feels pressured to check in on their order, undermining the efficiency gain and adding bottlenecks. Equally, unanswered questions must be sorted out after service - slowing close without an audit trail of changes and payments.

DQ is a purpose-built solution designed to streamline Front and Back of House operations and maintain a fast-paced service all night. If you're not using DQ (getdqd.com), let's schedule a time to discuss how it can help you speed up service, increase upsells, and enhance your customer intelligence.

The Benefits of a Well-Managed Dispense

Unlocking bottlenecks at dispense through the steps above will improve service efficiency and the time your VIP servers can spend with guests. This has a direct correlation with:

·       Customer satisfaction and loyalty.

·       Revenue acquired through upselling and repeat business.

·       Staff motivation and performance.

Mastering dispense management is crucial for any venue aiming to provide a truly luxurious and memorable VIP experience. By focusing on clear communication, optimised roles, and efficient processes, venues can consistently deliver fast and early, and ensure that every guest feels valued and has an exceptional night.