Upselling in F&B has been a con job till date, says Shatbhi Basu. She looks at ways to change upselling from a crude form to an art, winning over guests and sales in the bargain
Upselling is a term that has been used for a long time. Every training programme, big or small, devotes time to sell its cause. Owners love its implications; managers know it can get them climbing ladders; the employee sees instant rewards. However, the crude approach is not required; there are classier ways to upsell for a better top line.
Most of us tend to take a rather straight view of the meaning of upselling, that is, push expensive products. How many times have we been told to promote top-of-the line seafood, or high-end wine? Most wait staff are brainwashed to almost browbeat the guest into feeling guilty for not ordering or worse, make him claustrophobic with the constant babble.
The word ‘upselling’ does literally tell you to go higher. But that can also translate into a horizontal push as opposed to a vertical one; sell more than simply selling expensive.
This is easily done with gentle suggestions that almost sound like the guest’s own idea rather than aggressive selling. This approach is the holy grail of upselling because the guest feels good instead of cheated. The true aim is to increase his billing, not just the cost of what he is having. So, consider upselling a mocktail instead of a soft drink, two starters rather than one, or make the desserts sound really yummy.
Good managers and owners must take a look at how to arm themselves with an arsenal of good sense to help achieve the desired end. The customer is the person who pays the bill, so understand him very well. The key goals here are to recognise his mood and his company, to read his body language and pick up on his needs. I always recommend at least one person should try and get a feel of the customer’s relationship with his guests. Analyse their comfort level with him.
Most definitely cater to his ego or need, if need be, but slip in gentle suggestions with sincerity and if you succeed, then help him expand his choice based on your suggestions. The right tone and language to use is a gentle one. In doing so, offer irresistible choices, but let him believe the choice was his. Also let him experience your suggestions, so offer tastings and sniffings when possible like a particular wine, the new single malt, or an exotic Caribbean rum. Though, please budget for it. Generally, make him feel important without over acting.
The seller is essentially you and your team. Actively consider constant training in the truest sense of the word. Not printed notes and power points, but the real feel. In the training programmes we conduct, our aim is to upgrade the staff’s product knowledge by giving them a touch, feel, nose and taste of everything. To us, it is the best way to get the bar staff up to date.
Leading by example is the best training module. So owners must also look at improving their team’s communication skills by allowing them to observe you on the floor and then simply copy you till they can get their act together.
Teamwork is important, not just in these times but always. So include the staff in discussions with the clear objective to develop their self-confidence and the product knowledge. It is an investment to expand their horizon in product knowledge by conducting workshops and offering incentives; qualitative and quantitative.
The employee of the month certificate may appear corny, but it works. Tagged buttons with all the right words such as ‘I did it’, ‘I am the best’ and ‘I am a magician’, helps build up their spirit and confidence.
There are a few in our industry who follow this, such as Rohit Khosla, general manager at Taj Lands End, Mumbai: “Managing people is just as important if not more, as managing your business. So include them in your plan.”
And it paid off for him when he offered them a very tiny percentage of the increase in room sale business by selling upgrades. The incremental revenue was far more than he had expected. So think out of the box because it most definitely is the name of the game.
Partner with vendors because we are all in it together, especially now, when recession is the dirty word. Getting in bed with old friends and new opportunities is the way to a healthier bottom line. The idea is that all must benefit.
So that we can look at this approach more holistically, I present a real example of what direction I took at my Allspice Eatery & Drinkery in Mumbai, when footfalls dipped to an all-time low, a truly nasty way to usher in the newyear. The key for me at Allspice, was to find a way of getting people back in. To let them know that we wanted them, and we would work with their budget. I did not want to join the mass bandwagon and simply offer discounts.
Therefore, I created a small menu of drinks and starters and roped in thinking product partners, because they needed to sell too. Then we priced it all at an unbeatable Rs99 for everything ordered off that menu. We got our footfalls back. Customers were happy, sales increased and vendors were very happy because once in, customers went beyond the Rs99 menu. This kept us in the game.
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.
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
