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Country clubs are more than just nice places to golf. They are a great place to enjoy quality time with family, friends, and business partners, where you can play sports and relax. They offer a more exquisite experience than you would get in a golf club or a hotel.
Country club culture can differ from place to place. However, country clubs are still a place for people who want to enjoy sports, social events, and luxury. Although the main focus is typically golf, there is a lot more to be done in such a place. From country club dining to a country club wedding and many other social events - being a member of a club can bring a lot of benefits.
If you are not a member but an owner or a manager at a country club, you have a completely different view. There are a lot of things to be done, so the business can run smoothly and the members can feel welcomed, well taken care of, relaxed, and encouraged to invite more people to get a membership with your club.
One of the many things you have to do as a business owner or manager is to plan the beverage program and organize a large beverage inventory. To help you with this hard task of country club inventory management, we’ve created a list of steps and tips to follow. Let’s get right into it!
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Best Practices for Beverage Inventory Management in Country Clubs
To make guests in country clubs feel welcomed and comfortable, details are key. One of those details is proper planning of the country club drinks and the beverage inventory.
What poolside cocktails are you going to offer? What kind of signature cocktails are you going to serve at the bar and restaurant? Drinks with specialty coffee, unique types of tea, beer, and of course, wine lists, have to be carefully curated. Food and beverage pairings are of utmost importance if you want to ensure customer satisfaction.
To create the perfect menu, whether a seasonal menu or an all-year-round one, you need quality country club inventory management. That can be ensured by following these steps:
Key Takeaway: Managing a large inventory for country clubs is challenging but by following a structured process and using tracking software, you can stay on top of things.
1. Categorize Inventory Items
Inventory organization is crucial for any organization in the hospitality industry. Categorizing your inventory items into priority groups can be helpful you get a better idea of what has to be ordered more frequently.
A great tip to use is putting items into three categories - A, B, and C. Items that go in category A should be the higher-ticket items that you don’t need many of. In the C category, you should have lower-cost items that have a quick turnover ratio. Category B would be for everything in between - moderately priced items that get used slower than items in category C but faster than category A.
2. Track Product Information
Keeping a record of all items in the inventory is crucial for country clubs. The information you track should include SKUs, barcode data, countries of origin, suppliers, and lot numbers. Think about tracking the cost of different items over time so you are aware of factors that may affect the cost like seasonality or scarcity.
3. Do Inventory Audits
Some country clubs would do a comprehensive inventory audit just once a year. Other managers prefer to have audits done monthly, weekly, or even daily so they can be aware of what are the hottest items. No matter what approach you prefer to take, make sure you do a physical count of your inventory items on a regular basis.
4. Analyze Suppliers
If you are working with any unreliable suppliers, you may have issues with inventory. If any of the suppliers you currently work with is often late or there are issues with them, consider switching to another supplier. Not knowing when you are going to get the stock you need is not just stressful but it can be harmful to your business.
5. Use the 80/20 Rule for the Inventory
The 80/20 rule can be applied in many areas of life and beverage management is no different. As a rule of thumb, 80% of the profits of your business are generated by 20% of the stock you have. Prioritize proper liquor inventory management of this 20% in order to boost profitability at country clubs.
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6. Track Your Sales
It’s important to understand what and how much is sold in your country club on a daily basis. This data is a game changer in country club inventory management, as it will provide you with information on when and how many items have been sold. It’s a way to track seasonality and changes in customer behavior. Having a better understanding of these changes can help you keep your inventory under control much better.
7. Put Restock Orders Yourself
Some vendors offer to help with your country club inventory management by putting restocking orders themselves. However, as a business owner or manager, you should be the one in charge of this. After all, vendors don’t have the same priorities as you do and while it may seem tempting for someone else to handle this, it’s best to be done by your business and not theirs. You can always take advantage of digital ordering to make this a lot easier!
8. Use Inventory Management Technology
To make all of the previous steps even easier to follow - use inventory management technology for your country club. Country club management is complicated and to ease the process for yourself and staff members, it’s great to utilize technology. Using POS systems, for example, that can communicate with your inventory tracking technology will make it a lot easier to keep inventory counts in check.
Country Clubs and Large Beverage Inventory
Keeping a large beverage inventory in country clubs can be challenging but it’s also necessary. People who want to enjoy a nice luxurious getaway in your beautiful country club may want to try out different beverages based on mood, seasons, and the food they are eating.
When hosting special events, it’s always recommended to work with cocktail experts to match the concept of the event. From weddings to launch parties and everything in between, in order to provide great customer service, you need to be prepared.
Think about adding private label wine to your menu, as well as signature cocktails. These special types of drinks will add a sense of exclusivity and make your customers enjoy their time in your country club even more.
Planning food and beverage pairings is also recommended. This will be easier if you have a large beverage inventory and different food menu types. Don’t forget to lean on a quality inventory tracking system like BinWise Pro that will help you stay on top of the large inventory and provide an even better service to your guests!
Country Clubs Beverage Storage
When talking about managing inventory in country clubs, we must touch on beverage storage. Once you are settled on what you want to offer in your beverage menu, you need to ensure the right storage solutions for all drinks.
Storing wine, for example, is done differently than the way you would store non-alcoholic drinks or spirits. You need to get a variety of temperature-control storage units so you can create the perfect conditions for all liquors and non-alcoholic beverages.
If you tend to follow adult beverage trends and change a lot of menu items seasonally, choose different storage options that can accommodate your needs. For example, invest in both wine cellar and wine fridges, and don't forget to get enough coolers so you can provide drinks near the golf course.
Frequently Asked Questions about Country Club Inventory Management
If you need more information on the topic of country club inventory management, here are the answers to some of the most common questions people ask.
What Are the Biggest Challenges in Country Club Inventory Management?
Storing a large number of liquor bottles and other stock, ordering the right amounts, organizing the inventory, and keeping everything in check. For most of these challenges, there’s an easy solution in the face of inventory management and tracking software suitable country clubs.
It’s best to use software that integrates with different types of POS systems, so you can save time and eliminate possible man-made errors. Also, make sure you do regular inventory checks because that will help you with loss prevention.
How Often Should I Do an Audit of Country Club Inventory?
Inventory audits in country clubs can be done yearly, monthly, weekly or even daily, but when exactly you should do them depends on your management style. If you use tracking technology for your inventory, it will be easier to do it more often, which will give you a better understanding of customer behaviors, prices, and other important things you need to keep in mind.
Does Alcohol Expire and Should I Keep Large Quantities in Stock?
It’s not recommended to keep large quantities in stock, especially for items that don’t have a large turnover ratio. Although alcohol doesn’t expire that easily (see: Does alcohol expire?), bottles may take too much space that you could be using for other items, which can be generating more profit.
Focus on offering variety but find out which types of alcohol you sell more frequently and stock on it. Place digital orders when you need something new and keep an eye on the statistics in your inventory tracking software to make sure you are prepared for possible increases in consumption based on seasonality or upcoming events.