Tag: @tamnevada

Share the Vegas Inside Scoop For Bigger Tips

Published on by TAM of Nevada2 Comments

Are you looking for ways to get bigger tips? One thing that can set you apart from other cocktail servers and bartenders is sharing some of the Vegas inside scoop with your guests. Here are some suggestions:

  • Tell your guests about which celebrities are in town and where they will be partying in Vegas. Use social media to stay close to the latest celebrity news.
  • Visit popular vegas travel web sites and give your guests some money saving and free show ideas, such as:
    • Using the Las Vegas monorail, trolleys, free trams, and free shuttles.
    • Checking out the fountain shows (of course), the Fremont Street experience, the Volcano at the Mirage, and the Show in the Sky at the Rio
  • Remind your guests of safety tips for walking along the strip:
    • For nighttime walks, never walk alone and stay on the strip.
    • For daytime walks, bring a bottle of water (especially during the hot summer months) and get a fresh bottle along the way.

By sharing your inside scoop, you’ll connect with your guests and they may be inclined to give you a bigger tip because you went above and beyond to help them have the best experience in Vegas.

What other ideas do you have for bigger tips?

© 2010 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada

Did You Know That In Nevada Alcohol Education Cards Expire After Four Years?

Published on by TAM of Nevada1 Comment

Over 200,000 hospitality and service workers are employed in Clark County, most whom are required, by state law, to receive Alcoholic Beverage Awareness Training and carry an Alcohol Education Card. The Alcoholic Beverage Awareness Training Program is required for those who serve/sell alcoholic beverages or provide security services in casinos, restaurants, bars, clubs, and grocery/convenience stores in Clark and Washoe County. Many establishments also require anyone who handles alcoholic beverages and their managers and executive staff to carry cards.

The State of Nevada passed a law on July 1, 2007 which requires card holders to renew their training and be issued a new card every four years or four years from the date of issuance (testing). Thousands of cards have been issued over the years in the State of Nevada and may have invalid expiration dates from a former Clark County law that required training and card renewal every five years. 

Therefore, anyone who works in the industry and carries an Alcohol Education Card for their job should check the date that their card was issued. Cards issued by approved providers in 2005, 2006, and the first half of 2007 are either already expired and need to be renewed or will be up for renewal sooner than the expiration date that is shown on the card.  If it’s been more than four years, then it is time to take the training again and get a new card.

Important points as you consider how this information affects you:

  • Providers of the Alcoholic Beverage Awareness Training program and Alcohol Education Cards must be approved through Nevada’s Commission on Postsecondary Education. Cards issued by providers and provider locations not on the approved provider list could be deemed invalid.
  • If an auditor asks to see your card and it is expired, your employer (the licensee) could end up facing civil fines ranging from $500 to $5000 depending on the number of infractions. Your employer could fire you for not having a valid Alcohol Education Card. Keep in good standing with your employer and avoid potential job loss by making sure that your card is valid and up-to-date.
  • Training can be taken online if the provider has an approved online program.
  • All students must physically go to the provider’s approved school location to take an exam that is proctored and pass the proctored exam with a score of at least 75%.
  • Some employers have preferred providers that offer corporate discounts. Check with your employer before you register.
  • The program must be approved by the Commission on Postsecondary Education and should be no less than 3½ hours in duration, covering topics as specified for the approved program.

Applicable laws and sources of information can be found through the following URLs:

© 2010 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada

Are You Committed to Public Safety?

Published on by TAM of Nevada1 Comment
Balancing the business need to maintain a profitable operation with the legal, social and moral responsibilities that protect public health and safety creates the greatest challenge for any owner or manager in the hospitality industry.
 
The owners of the establishment, through business policies and practices, and you at the point of customer contact, are in complete control of the sales transaction. You have a right and obligation given a certain set of circumstances to serve or not to serve. In the case of off-premises selling situations, the decision is concrete and absolute. The on-premises consumption decision is initially concrete and absolute, but over a period of time becomes clouded by many circumstances and requires using substantial good judgment.
 
 
Here are some statistics that are of concern:
 
 “According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Nevada saw 1.6 alcohol-related traffic fatalities per million vehicle-miles traveled in 2008, a rate higher than the national average.” (View Source) 
 
 “Underage drinking is a leading contributor to death from injuries, which are the main cause of death for people under age 21. Annually, about 5,000 people under age 21 die from alcohol-related injuries involving underage drinking. About 1,900 (38 percent) of the 5,000 deaths involve motor vehicle crashes, about 1,600 (32 percent) result from homicides, and about 300 (6 percent) result from suicides.” (View Source)
 
 
These are “sobering” numbers and heighten the role that servers and sellers have in protecting their communities.  Public safety must be a personal and professional consideration of everyone in the beverage alcohol industry. Professionals in the retail beverage alcohol industry must adopt the personal value system that the sale of alcoholic beverages to underage persons, and/or persons who are intoxicated, is wrong. This must be a personal belief that guides everyone’s actions in the sale process.
  
 
By adopting the responsible hospitality policies and practices, businesses can reduce liability risks, enhance the potential for increased profitability and protect their communities.
 
What are some challenges that you face in protecting the community and what recommendations would you give to your colleagues in the industry?
 
© 2010 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada 

Are Minors Using Fake IDs and Sneaking Past You?

Published on by TAM of Nevada7 Comments

Teens and minors can be sneaky, especially when they want to get into the hottest Vegas clubs with their friends. If you’ve been in the industry for a while, then you have probably caught your fair share of minors trying to get past you with a fake ID. Here is a checklist for newbies and those who haven’t had to check IDs in a while:

  • Has the license expired?
  • Does the person in front of you look like the person pictured on the ID?
  • Does the person’s eye color match the eye color stated on the ID?
  • Is the license in a vertical format?
  • Does the birth date text and the expiration text match the text on the rest of the ID?

 

When an ID does not pass your first inspection, you can question the ID holder and ask more details, such as his/her height, weight, address, birth date, birth year, etc.

Still in doubt? Then, ask for other forms of ID, like bank or credit cards, a work ID or another ID that has the person’s name. You want to ask for these other forms of ID to make sure that it is the same person. If someone is trying to use a fake ID, it is unlikely that they will have another form of ID. 

You can also get a supervisor or manager to check the ID. Most establishments have a guidebook, like the I.D. Checking Guide, for validating various forms of identification. Ask your manager if you have a guide like this in your establishment and refer to it if needed.

It’s better to be safe than sorry. If you aren’t comfortable with the ID, then apologize to the guest and let them know that you cannot validate their identification. Welcome them to return at another time with other identification to confirm their identity and age.

What are some tricks that you’ve seen used by fake ID holders? What would have been helpful to know when you first started checking IDs?

© 2010 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada