The Microbrewery Handbook

Chapter 20Customer Service Tips

Among the hustle and bustle of construction, when opening or growing a business some simple yet important training can fall through the cracks. This is why an early focus on culture, employee engagement, and customer service is vital.

We've covered the importance of creating a great place to work for employees, which is the first big step toward providing great service.

What often gets lost in the taproom model is that the service and customer experience provided at the bar are just as important as creating that tasty product. Without distribution, you are the manufacturer, the distributor, and the retailer all rolled into one. Consistent negative experiences from customers can impact a taproom‐focused brewery in significant ways over time.

The Brewers Association, headed up by Tim Brady of Whetstone Station, provides a robust Customer Service Manual for member breweries. Brady gives fantastic talks about service at the Craft Brewers Conference each year and has plenty of great content when it comes to providing a terrific experience.

Here are some things we emphasize with our incredible staff at Perfect Plain Brewing Company.

1. 1. Attitude, attitude, attitude.

   If you can't bring a great attitude to work, I have no room for you. It's everything in service. Every single person is coming into our taproom either to 1) have a great time or 2) take ...