By Robert Plotkin 

· Prioritize: Working a high-volume bar requires taking care of "first things first," such as waiting on bar customers before washing glasses or preparing drink orders for food servers before finishing a conversation with a regular. Prioritizing tasks is essential to rendering great service.

· No preferential treatment: While it's natural to prefer serving some people to others, it's a fundamental mistake to act upon those sentiments. Treating select customers like second-class citizens is not part of the job description. Your attitude and demeanor can betray how you feel as clearly as inattentive service.

· Don't fixate on gratuities: Making a decent living behind a bar is best achieved through rendering prompt, competent service. Concentrating on tips during a shift diverts your concentration from the job at hand. Take care of your guests, and the tips will take care of themselves.

· Remember names (and drinks): People appreciate being referred to by their name. Whether it's early on or just before he or she departs, make a point of getting a guest's name, work to remember it and use it. Also, while people appreciate bartenders remembering their names, they fully expect bartenders to remember what they're drinking.

· Warm smile and friendly attitude: Gracious hospitality is the cornerstone of our business. Welcome people into the business as you would welcome guests into your home. There's little difference. Hardware stores wait on customers. In this business, we serve guests.

· Accommodate guests' needs: Conventional wisdom suggests you should never say "no" to a customer. Within reason, all requests should be fulfilled, regardless of the degree of hassle. People appreciate being catered to; it's at the core of being hospitable.

· Take the lead: Guests will nearly always heed menu recommendations and suggestions on what to drink. But get rid of the canned delivery. Offer suggestions as though you are feeding guests insider information; they'll love the personal attention. And don't be reticent to ask your guests questions. The more you know about your guests' preferences, the better service you will render.

· Anticipate guests' needs: Excellent service can be defined as anticipating a guest's need well before he or she realizes the need themselves. Refill water glasses and replenish breadbaskets without being asked. Likewise, many cocktails should be served with a back of water. So after you serve a martini or scotch, neat, return moments later with a glass of water. It's a classy thing to do.

· Cooperate with fellow employees: Providing timely assistance to a fellow employee helps produce a positive working environment and leads to a higher standard of service. That entails a cooperative effort, people helping each other to accomplish the stated objective, even when there may be no direct financial compensation pending. Teamwork inevitably will bail you out in a time of need. As you know, the better the service, the better the tip. Prima donnas should pick another trade.

· Be entertaining: Humor is the great equalizer and something that nearly everyone appreciates. If you can make someone smile, it may prove to be the best thing that happens to that person the whole day.

Two ladies are sitting at a bar.

"I read that eighty percent of all men think the best way to end an argument is to make love," says one.

"Well, that will certainly change the game of hockey." 

Great leaders usually recognize a problem in the following sequence:

1) They sense it before they see it.

2) They begin looking for it and ask questions.

3) They gather data.

4) They share their feelings and findings to a few trusted colleagues.

5) They define the problem.

6) They check their resources.

7) They make a decision.