Nufurn has the pleasure to sponsor this year's Pub Leaders Summit. 

It was a day filled with great conversation and opportunity to listen to industry leaders tackle on important issues regarding the pub industry and Mystery Shoppers revealing their most shocking findings.

Taking everything in, we created the Top 5 Factors to Consider when Running a Pub just for you!

1. Staff Training is Vital

We must start with staff training as there was a general consensus that staff training drives the success of the business. Staff needs to create a welcoming and safe environment for customers. They must be trained on conflict resolutions, understanding customer preferences and can maintain civility during rush hours. In under no circumstances should staff tell customers to “get it yourself” or place food that was dropped on the floor back onto customers plate! Surprisingly, these events still occur as revealed by Mystery Shopper, Louise Heffernan from Girl Friday Solutions.

2. Management Must be a Leader in Local Community

In order to create familiarity with customers, management is encouraged to participate in local community activities. From sponsoring a sport’s game to doing charity work, the Pub will become the central hub for social gatherings. Customers would celebrate momentous occasions at the Pub as it becomes a familiar ground to even the place they go to ease back from a rough day.

It is also vital for management to build trust and relationship with local council members and to make it an absolute priority to follow regulations, be transparent and as compliant as possible. With the backing of local police and being involved with the council, the Pub will create an even safer place for their customers.

3. Focus on Food

The line between Pubs and restaurants are becoming a bit more blurry. Customers enter to Pubs get a bargain for meals but there are also those that come into have long lunches with family.  With dining becoming such an oversaturated market, customers are expecting high-value food no matter what.

Therefore, stress was made again on the importance of staff training to be able to understand customer needs and to also be aware of customers dietary requirements. With the rise of allergies, Pub owners were advised to have allergy disclaimers on their menus. A special presentation was made by Bhavani Baumann who opened the very first Australian Vegan Pub, The Green Lion.

4. Sense of Home

A Pub or a “Public Home” is where customers go to enjoy drinks and meals with family and friends in a casual setting. From the furniture design to the menu and staff’s welcoming attitude, it all needs to come together and create a sense that this is their second home. Cayas Architecture stunned the crowd with a preview of their 3D Design and Virtual Reality technology that gives you the opportunity to visualize how your Pub would look like after it has been built with all furniture in place. 

5. Firing

A Pub is part of a highly connected community which means firing becomes more of a public matter than in any other industry. Rumors of unfair dismissal would nullify all management attempt of creating a trusted community hub. Due diligence must be taken into place for management to have a strong stance in their decision of dismissing a staff member and hopefully will create a level of understanding between former employee and management.