Upselling beverages is a valuable skill for food and beverage staff, as it can boost sales, profits, and customer satisfaction. However, it can also backfire if done in a pushy or aggressive way, as it can annoy or pressure customers and damage your reputation. How can you train your staff to upsell beverages without being pushy? Here are some tips to help you.
The first step to upselling beverages is to know your products well. Your staff should be familiar with the different types of drinks you offer, their ingredients, flavors, prices, and benefits. They should also be able to suggest suitable pairings with food items, and highlight any specials or promotions. By knowing your products, your staff can confidently and enthusiastically recommend drinks that match your customers' preferences, needs, and budget.
The key to upselling is training your staff thoroughly in the product they are selling. A well-trained bartender or server will upsell seamlessly without awkwardness or being pushy. Take for instance a guest who orders a margarita; a well-trained server/bartender will never just take that order, they would inquire about tequila brand preference and upsell to a premium brand with the right taste profile for a perfectly balanced cocktail. Also, knowing what pairs well with menu items is key to proper service and upselling, this is also part of the preparation and training of the service team.
Upselling beverages in an All-inclusive setting can be done through the use of tasting/display carts in thematic restaurants and lobby lounges. The objective of this is to offer guest tastings and learning experiences using ultra-premium spirits that do not constitute a part of your All-Inclusive beverage program at an affordable extra cost. The sommelier/wine steward traverses the outlets and makes a presentation of the products(main features, origin, tasting method, etc) to the guests in a spontaneous and pleasant manner, displaying enthusiasm and willingness to serve the guests whilst making eye contact and smiling to complete the sale. This initiative also seeks to increase the sale of these products because of the obtained experience
First and foremost, equip your staff with in-depth knowledge about the beverage offerings, emphasizing the unique qualities and complementary aspects of each product. This ensures that they can genuinely recommend options based on customer preferences. Encourage active listening to understand customers' tastes and needs, allowing staff to tailor their suggestions accordingly. Emphasize the importance of building rapport and creating a positive customer experience rather than focusing solely on the sale. Reinforce the notion that genuine enthusiasm about the products can be contagious and lead to more organic upselling.
Knowledge is so powerful. Your staff need to be able to list off premium liquors without hesitation. When someone orders a drink, the waitstaff should seamlessly recommend the premium version of that drink. "I'll have a rum and coke please" "Sure thing. Would you like that with Crown Royal" In order to build that behavior, you can run upselling competitions with results posted on the board in the staffroom. Incentivize staff with GCs, PTO, etc. I used to love staff competitions. It gave me and my coworkers a side quest during our shift. It also built our sales skills without us thinking about it.
Pairings are fantastic for upselling. Knowing which wines or teas pair with which flavours is going to increase your success in upselling beverages. The most powerful way to do this is to curate a menu-specific wine pairing experience that includes 3-5 wines over the course of the dinner at a fixed additional price. To execute on this flawlessly, you may want to enlist the help of a freelance beverage manager or hire in your own sommelier.
The second step to upselling beverages is to read the cues from your customers. Your staff should be able to identify when a customer is open to suggestions, when they are undecided, and when they are not interested. They should also be able to adjust their tone, language, and body language accordingly. For example, if a customer is looking at the drink menu, your staff can ask them if they need any help or advice, and offer some options. If a customer is hesitating between two drinks, your staff can point out the advantages of one over the other, or offer a sample or a smaller size. If a customer is clearly satisfied with their choice, your staff can simply confirm their order and move on.
What I believe that in hospitality one thing everyone should up-skill before jumping into up-sell is the ability to t(s)ell a story. Product knowledge, real life experience & passion are the key ingredients to curate a story and the story has to be served on a plate called “value for money”
I am of the view that anyone and everyone in hospitality or otherwise need to ask this question to begin with “ Why am I doing what I am doing ? Your purpose defines and guides every act of including upselling/ creating bespoke experience for consumers. On the shoulders of purpose runs faith and consistency of story telling steered by active listening
Knowing our menus and products inside out these days is an expectation. Guest seek personalisation from our teams - bespoke recommendations. But as importantly, many guests come to us on a budget. We don't need to get them into their overdrafts to be profitable. Sometimes not selling a second drink is the right choice - contrary to standard practise. In my experience, selling to the right people is far more important than how much of it we sell. These hesitations and reluctance are what we need to be picking up on. Because by removing all pressure we ensure our guests come back to us week after week, month after month. I'd sooner take a $50 cheque 12 times a year than a $100 once a year because of pressurised sales from my team.
One tactic I love is to give the first glass of wine on the house and fix the cost into your food menu. Because who stops when they finish one glass of wine halfway through the meal? This will increase beverage spend across the board by encouraging those who don't want to drink, to drink. You can switch the wine for a different drink for anyone who doesn't drink alcohol, and anyone who doesn't take you up on your offer is still paying the premium!
By focusing on providing exceptional customer service and genuine recommendations based on customer preferences, your staff can effectively upsell beverages without resorting to pushy sales tactics. Remember that the goal is to enhance the customer's experience, and genuine enthusiasm for the products can often lead to successful upselling.
The third step to upselling beverages is to focus on value rather than price. Your staff should avoid mentioning the price of the drinks unless asked, and instead emphasize how the drinks can enhance the customer's experience, taste, or mood. They should also use positive and descriptive words to describe the drinks, such as refreshing, smooth, rich, or fruity. By focusing on value, your staff can make the drinks more appealing and persuasive, and avoid making the customers feel like they are being sold to.
One hack to this is to focus on the value the beverage adds to the dining experience rather than pressuring for a sale. Works like magic!
Encouraging your staff to focus on upselling drinks without being pushy requires a customer-centric approach that emphasizes value and positive experiences.Here are some strategies you can implement 1.Product Knowledge Training -Ensure your staff is well-informed about the drink menu.Knowledgeable staff can make personalized recommendations based on customer preferences,enhancing the overall experience 2. Highlight Specials and Features -Train your staff to highlight special drinks, promotions,or unique features of certain beverages. Emphasize the value or exclusivity of these offerings to make them more appealing to customers
Begin by ensuring that your staff is well-versed in the unique features and benefits of each beverage on the menu. Encourage them to view upselling as a means of enhancing the customer's overall experience rather than simply increasing sales. Emphasize the value that each recommended beverage adds to the customer's dining experience, whether it's a perfect pairing with their chosen dish or an opportunity to indulge in a unique flavor profile. Implement a consultative selling approach, where staff actively engages with customers to understand their preferences and recommends beverages that align with their tastes.
There is a way of doing both. You can mention it as a premium product, if you want to position it. That way a customer knows it's not going to be the cheapest. You still don't have to mention the price. Then you either position it in their mind that they're happy to pay it or possibly not, and move to something else. If they ask, then obviously tell them the price. Again, you can sell other price points in the same way, whether that be budget or ultra-premium.
The fourth step to upselling beverages is to ask open-ended questions that invite the customers to share their preferences, needs, or expectations. Your staff should avoid asking yes-or-no questions that can be easily answered or rejected, such as "Do you want a drink?" or "Do you want to try our new cocktail?". Instead, they should ask questions that encourage the customers to express their opinions, feelings, or desires, such as "What kind of drink are you in the mood for?" or "How do you like your coffee?". By asking open-ended questions, your staff can engage the customers in a conversation, build rapport, and uncover opportunities to upsell.
By encouraging staff to engage customers in thoughtful conversations, you create an atmosphere of genuine interest that goes beyond the transaction. This approach not only unveils unique preferences but also positions your establishment as a curator of personalized experiences. Consequently, satisfied customers are not just patrons; they become loyal advocates, driving word-of-mouth referrals and contributing to an organically expanding customer base.
An old mentor once shared a great sales tip with me when selling wine. Assess the client, each client is different. 1. Trust your gut to choose which options to present 2. Always present 2 options, make sure there's at least a 30-40% difference in price for the cheaper option 3. Presenting 2 choices often leads the client to choose one or the other. Asking if they would like to order wine or presenting 1 choice, gives them the option to decline. Play on the mood, weather & overall vibe. If you can read the room/crowd, you're already winning.
The baseline of any great F&B experience is to ultimately have your needs met. The better you can anticipate those needs, the more spectacular the experience for the customer. So, your task is to coax as much information out of our customers as possible without compromising the experience, to best inform you of their needs. Only then can you give truly exceptional experience and deliver additional items and products that they will be genuinely interested in.
The fifth step to upselling beverages is to respect the customer's choice and avoid being pushy or persistent. Your staff should accept the customer's decision gracefully and thank them for their order. They should not try to change the customer's mind, pressure them to buy more, or make them feel guilty or uncomfortable. They should also not make any negative or judgmental comments about the customer's choice, such as "That's a boring drink" or "That's too cheap". By respecting the customer's choice, your staff can show professionalism, courtesy, and trust, and leave a positive impression.
Time-tested go to here- never walk them away from their first beverage. They know what they want and they'll ask for suggestions otherwise. Always give them the first pitch and on the second order ask if they'd prefer the same or care to be more curious and try on something new, but in the same drink or drink style. Works almost every time and when it doesn't it's always appreciated that options were presented. In today's evolving landscape that is hospitality and furthermore- inclusive hospitality- it's important to have non-alcoholic options available to the consumer base that the FOH makes sure to mention to every person that walks through the door- it helps with the bottom line, with customer retention and repeats, and morale.
A failed attempt at an upsale is a cue to stop. Customer experience is everything in F&B and no sale is worth risking the customer experience.
Final point here is don't be snobbish. If they want water or ice in their whisky, that's up to them. We had someone add lemonade to wine at the weekend. Not my choice (having experimented with it) but, as I said to them when they tried to justify themselves, they're paying for it so they can drink it however they like.
The sixth step to upselling beverages is to follow up and get feedback from the customers. Your staff should check on the customers after they have received their drinks, and ask them if they are enjoying them, if they need anything else, or if they have any questions or comments. They should also thank the customers for their feedback, and apologize and rectify any issues or complaints. By following up and getting feedback, your staff can show that they care about the customer's satisfaction, and create opportunities for repeat or additional sales.
Implement a system of incentives or recognition for staff who do well in upselling. This can motivate staff to actively promote beverages.
Conduct role-playing exercises during training sessions to help the staff practice making recommendations in a non-pushy manner.
Make your drink offering something the staff are confident selling. As a bar owner, I rarely buy anything I wouldn't drink myself. There are one or two exceptions, such as novelty beers or such like. Also get the brands involved with the staff and tell them how to sell the drink, what it goes well with and such like. POS items are also something that can help.