Tag: cocktail waitress

Are Your Happy Hour Deals Falling Flat? New Ideas to Boost Your Bar Sales

Published on by TAM of Nevada4 Comments

It’s a problem common to many restaurants and bars; after a stellar opening and a few months in the limelight, sales start to fall flat. There are many reasons why establishments can see a sales dip – increased competition, shifting tastes and attitudes of patrons, tired selections and décor, etc. Deborah Harris of Bar Business Magazine recently tackled this very problem in the article, “When Sales Grow Stale – Innovate!”

TAM ® of Nevada agrees wholeheartedly with her advice to start thinking outside of the box to reinvigorate sales, motivate staff and get customers talking about your bar again. You can read the full article here. Some of our favorite suggestions included:

Mixology is becoming increasingly popular, and lots of patrons want to feel like bartending aficionados. Offer guidance, but let customers get involved in their drink selection. Offer a selection of glasses, liquors, and mixes, and let them mix and match their order to create something that suits their taste.

Try a tasting table or spirits sampler. Let your guests pick and choose from a selection of spirits to sample, and provide logoed tasting card. This way they can take down notes on which drinks they enjoyed, and they’ll have a reminder that it was your establishment they enjoyed it at.

Sometimes it’s tough to break old habits and get out of a rut, but hard work and creative thinking can pay off big for your business. What types of sales strategies or deals have you implemented with success?

Resources

When Sales Grow Stale – Innovate! – Bar Business Magazine

© 2011 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada

Anatomy of a TAM Card® – Find Out If You Are At Risk by Not Having An Official TAM® Card

Published on by TAM of Nevada2 Comments

Often imitated, never duplicated, TAM® of Nevada has been the sole provider of official TAM® Cards to the Las Vegas community for over 25 years. There are several providers of credible and effective alcohol awareness training and drink cards, but TAM® of Nevada is the only authorized provider of the official TAM® card. Also, more employers recommend TAM® of Nevada for their employees’ alcohol education than any other provider. Wonder why? You can learn more about what sets TAM® of Nevada apart and makes our training unique here.

Make sure whatever training program you choose is approved by the Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education, and be wary of any company other than TAM® of Nevada that promises to sell you a TAM® Card. All training is not created equal, and working with a fake alcohol awareness card can land you, and your employer, in serious trouble. If you already have your TAM Card®, it is easy to check to make sure you’ve received a legitimate drink card and training program. Check out the sample TAM® Card shown here, and make sure yours has the same or similar look. Look for each of the following identifying characteristics which can be found on every card:

  1. TAM® name and registered trademark. Your card should have ‘TAM®’ written across the top in the title with the registered trademark symbol.
  2. Official TAM® logo. Look to the bottom left corner of your card, underneath your photo, and make sure you see the TAM® logo.
  3. Unique Control Number. On the front of your card, you should see a chain of numbers which begin after the letters OE. A different control number is issued to each TAM® Card holder, and is unique to you. Older TAM® cards may have “LVMPD#” followed by a chain of numbers.
  4. Signature on back of card. The back of your card should have the official TAM® logo along with a pre-printed signature.

If you are concerned that your current card may be invalid, or if you’d like to register for an alcohol awareness course, you can reach TAM® of Nevada here. Remember, alcohol education is mandatory for almost all service professionals in Southern Nevada, and you can learn more about alcohol awareness education requirements by reading our blog, “Call It What You May … But There’s Only One TAM Card!”

Resources

© 2011 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada

Can’t Make It To An Alcohol Awareness Class? TAM® of Nevada Offers Online Training!

Published on by TAM of Nevada1 Comment

Classroom training isn’t for everyone. If you have a busy schedule, or just prefer to learn in the privacy of your own home, you may want to consider the option of taking your alcohol awareness training in an online environment. Let’s be honest, you can’t beat the option of completing your training at home in your pajamas!

Some other alcohol awareness providers have made claims that TAM ® of Nevada only offers classroom training. In reality, TAM ® of Nevada works to make training convenient to all learners, onsite AND online. There are many benefits to online learning that are worth considering:

1. Learn at your own pace. By taking your TAM® course online, you’ll have the option to move through lessons as fast or slow as you like. Additionally, you’ll have the option to pause your training and come back to it at a later date and time.

2. Learn any time, day or night. Not everyone has time in their busy lives to head to a training center and complete 4 hours of training during the day. With our online course, you can work through lessons when it’s convenient for you; morning, noon, or night.

3. You have the option to review information and refresh your memory about what’s covered in the course prior to your exam. Nevada’s Commission on Postsecondary Education requires that all participants in alcohol awareness training take an in-person proctored exam to pick up their TAM® Card. After completing your online course, you’ll need to come to our training center at one of our scheduled exam times to take your test. There’s no need to call and schedule a class, just drop in during one of our sessions when you’re ready for your test.

4. For a limited time, you can obtain your alcohol awareness training online for only $19.95. TAM® of Nevada is offering a discount price on our online course; you’ll save $15 over our classroom training if you choose this option.

Students respond that they find our online course to be engaging, easy to follow and an excellent option for busy service professionals. If you’re curious just how our classroom training works, you can demo the course on our website here. If you’d like to learn more about requirements to obtain your Drink Card in Nevada, you can read more in our blog post, “Call It What You May … But There’s Only One TAM Card!”

What have your experiences with online learning been like? We love to hear feedback from our students!

© 2011 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada

Working Hard for the Money – The Account of an Undercover Service Professional

Published on by TAM of NevadaLeave a comment

Looking to find a job working on the wait staff at one of Las Vegas’ trendy clubs? Working as a service professional can be rewarding, challenging, and fast-paced. We all know that servers, bartenders, security officers and just about everyone else in this industry often spend all night on their feet working to make sure their guests are having an excellent time in a safe and pleasant atmosphere, all with a smile on their faces.

Reporter Steve Bertoni recently went to work undercover as a bus boy at The Bank Nightclub in Las Vegas. He wrote about his experience for Fobes.com, and it’s clear he’s gained a newfound appreciation for just how hard a service professional works in this town. Check out his article, “Inside the Vegas Party Machine,” for his first-hand account of the rigors he went through; from his training to upsell services, to requirements to maintain an extreme attention to detail in all areas of service. We think this is a great in-depth view of what an average day can look like for a bus boy, and readers will see just how hard service professionals work.

Don’t forget, in order to work in the hospitality industry in Nevada, you’ll need to obtain your Health Card, and your Alcohol Awareness Card. You can obtain your alcohol awareness card online or in-person from TAM® of Nevada. It’s the first of several steps to becoming a stellar hospitality professional.

Do you think Steve Bertoni’s account of his time on the job is a realistic portrayal of the service industry? What type of on-the-job training have you been through prior to the start of work?

Resources

Inside the Vegas Party Machine – Forbes.com

© 2011 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada