Josephine Rios
Improving the Customer Experience in a Brewery Taproom
Goal: Learn the steps necessary to create a positive atmosphere for your brewery taproom customers.
Objectives:
1. Use previous experience to determine the importance of customer service in the taproom.
2. Identify strengths and weaknesses of personal skills to learn key interaction points.
3. Lean to implement a four-step customer interaction process called “HOPS Up” to create a great atmosphere for customers in a brewery taproom.
Rationales:
This training program is based on andragogical assumptions, as described by Malcolm Knowles (1968). It draws upon three main assumptions of learning: self-concept, prior experience, and the trainee’s motivation and readiness to learn.
1. Self-Concept: Knowles stressed the importance of the learning environment. It must be a place where adults feel safe to learn, are supported, and are respected (Merriam & Baumgartner 2020). Adults are responsible for their own learning. Therefore, to create a successful training program, they must feel comfortable and eager to learn for their own benefit. Adults in this program will initially diagnose their own needs to strengthen the need to learn the four-step “HOPS Up” process.
2. Prior experience: It is common knowledge that most adults have a greater knowledge base than children. Knowles believes that this prior experience can be a learning resource (Merriam & Baumgartner 2020). Trainees will reflect upon their own prior customer service experiences to identify strengths and weaknesses in their current implementation system. The new “HOPS Up” program will build off this prior experience. Using their own strengths and weaknesses will help them identify what creates a positive experience, and what “HOPS Up” can improve.
3. Motivation and Readiness: Andragogy reflects the importance of intrinsic motivation- how will the participants benefit from this training? It is assumed the trainees are willingly completing this training to improve their customer service skills and improve the business at hand. A better customer service experience will lead to increased business and increased financial gain for employees.
Design:
This training program will teach the “HOPS Up” method of creating a highly satisfactory customer experience in a brewery taproom. “HOPS Up” describes four-step customer interaction process that participants will implement in their own taprooms. They will use reflections on their own customer service experiences and self-evaluations to implement the steps of “HOPS Up” in their daily operations.
Objective and Activities | Andragogical Assumptions and Takeaways |
Module 1: The importance of the customer experience o Split the participants into even groups of 3-4. Instruct the groups to reflect on their own service experiences as a customer by discussing the following questions: (1) How would you define customer service? (2) What makes you return to an establishment? (3) How could an establishment improve your experience? (4) What do you enjoy about your experiences at other establishments? (5) How does customer service impact business? o Instruct the groups to discuss specific positive interactions they have had with their own customers. What were the outcomes of these experiences? | Module 1 focuses on the previous experience of the participants as a customer. In later modules, participants will use these previous experiences to mold their own customer service practices and attitudes.
Module 1 also aims to enhance intrinsic motivation. Great customer service increases business, which in turn increases the participant’s financial gain.
Lastly, Module 1 focuses on the grouping of learners, which can enhance learning according to Andragogy. |
Module 2: My own customer service skills o Individually, participants will reflect on their own skills as an employee by completing a “self-evaluation” found at the end of this packet. o Based on your ratings, list 3 strengths and 3 weaknesses you possess when it comes to giving great customer service. | Module 2 also focuses on the previous experience of the participants, this time as an employee. Participants will use their own strengths and weaknesses to encourage the implementation of the “HOPS Up” program.
Reflecting on the participant’s personal skills can create intrinsic motivation to learn new skills and better pre-existing skills. |
Module 3: Introducing “HOPS Up” (teaching component) o Introduce “HOPS Up” by passing out “HOPS Up” information sheet found at the end of this packet. Offer an explanation of each step. o Activity: Following the descriptions of all four steps, create pairs of participants. One person in the pair will act as the customer, the other as the bartender. Spend about 10 minutes interacting as these roles, and then switch places. The participants should learn to follow these four steps, and practice open ended conversations once they reach step number four: small talk and storytelling. o Provide a copy of the “HOPS Up” poster to post in the establishment at hand, which is found at the end of this packet.
| Module 3 focuses on the implementation of the four-step process. This module focuses on the learner’s need to know and the self-direction of the learner. Each participant should thoroughly take in this information, and practice applying it to their real-life circumstances as a bartender interacting with a customer.
This activity builds confidence when interacting with a customer and covers all key interaction points from group discussions. The customer now knows how to create a great atmosphere for their customers and is ready to reap the rewards of this knowledge. |
· H: Hello and Greeting
o A proper greeting makes the customer feel immediately welcome and creates an immediate sense of enjoyment.
· O: Offer Explanation + Samples
o It is important to make the customer feel comfortable and not rushed. Help each customer by describing different types of beer, offering samples of those the customer may enjoy, and offering alternatives. It is important the customer finds something they enjoy, and that they do not settle.
· P: Pour Beers Properly
o Customers must feel confident in your skills as an employee. Make sure to follow all sanitization procedures, pouring procedures, and delivery procedures. The glass should be clean, with enough room at the top of the glass to prevent spilling, with an acceptable amount of foam.
· S: Small Talk + Storytelling
o Your job does not end once you pour the customer’s drink. You must continue to create a joyous environment by interacting with the customers throughout their time at your establishment. Offer information of upcoming events, engage in the conversation, and actively listen to what the customer is saying.
Poster
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