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John B Pub

Winter 2007

Reaction Management • Successful Retailing • Avoiding 10 Critical Errors • Fusion Food

NOTES / STOCK:

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ColumnsInterview with the President 4

Editor’s Notes 5

What’s New 7

Spirit Spotlight 16

Cover Story - The John B Pub 20

Human Resources 25

Gismondi on Wine 33

LDB Report 34

LCLB Report 36

Back in Time 38

FeaturesReaction Management Marketing 8

Selling Your Strengths - Successful Retailing 12

Putting the Player First 18

Avoiding the 10 Critical Errors Beverage Operators Make 22

WorksafeBC Gives Young or New Workers More Protection 26

Business Interruption Conundrum 28

Fusion Food 30

Quarterly Publication for the Alliance of Beverage Licensees

200-948 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1N9T 604-688-5560 F 604-688-8560Toll free 1-800-663-4883info@ablebc.ca www.ablebc.ca

2006-2007 Board of Directors

President Al ArbuthnotVice President Kurt PyrchVice President Ronnie PatersonTreasurer Roger GibsonExecutive Director Kim HaakstadDirectors Fred Beruschi Jack Butterworth Ted Coole Al Deacon Poma Dhaliwal Richard Gibbons Werner Klann John Lepinski Gerry Obrecht Al McCreary Danny Rickaby Tim Rodgers

Designed, Produced & Published by: EMC Publications6058 187A Street, Surrey BC V3S 7R6Ph: 604-574-4577 1-800-667-0955 Fax: 604-574-2196 publican@emcmarketing.com www.emcmarketing.comPublisher Joyce HayneAccount Manager Johannis BreytenDesigner Krysta FuriosoCopy Editor Debbie MinkeABLE BC Editor Kim HaakstadContributing Karen AyersWriters Tim Ellison Anthony Gismondi Katharine Jowett Jim Lightbody Roger McLeod Debbie Minke Jonathan Niven Robert Plotkin Carrie Powell-Davidson Jon Taffer Tim Vandergrift Copyright EMC Publications

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W I n t e r 2 0 0 7

ON THE COVER - The John B Pub - Brent, Tara, Lisa, and John Lepinski

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What are the key issues ABLE is currently working on?

There are a number of important issues that ABLE is involved in. First, we are closely following the moratorium on new LRS licenses, scheduled to be lifted in May 2008. Government has made no final decisions yet but it seems likely that the moratorium will stay in place. ABLE BC will continue to dialogue with the government on this important issue.

We are still working with the government on smoking areas to see where customers will be able to smoke, if it all. By the time this edition of The Publican is printed, we hope government will have passed the regulation and provided us with clarity on the timing for the elimination of smoking rooms and the definitions of a patio for smoking purposes. ABLE has been working hard to ensure we have a workable patio definition and sufficient time to implement the required changes.

We hope to see improvements to gaming with more self-serve electronic gaming from BC Lottery Corporation. As an industry, it would be great to see new gaming options to help us attract new and different customers. Using technology currently available in our establishments and in bingo halls, there are many possibilities we are asking BCLC to consider.

Enforcement is always a challenge for our establishments. We are asking LCLB for a

football, hockey games, and theme nights, pubs need to promote their individuality.

What’s the main competitive advantage that a private liquor store has compared to a government liquor store?

Convenience is our #1 advantage. We can offer cold products, personal service, delivery, and stay open more hours. We are local, small business owners often living in the communities in which we operate and we support our communities. We can quickly respond to the needs and wants of our communities by accessing a large number of spec products not available in LDB stores. We can also place orders with small VQA wineries that do not produce large enough quantities to supply LDB stores.

How can that advantage be protected?

We can protect and improve on our advantage by making sure our staff has knowledge of the products we are selling, by improving selection, and changing stock on a seasonal basis. We can build larger and better stores that fill a niche market within a community and promote recognition of our brand.

We must also offer competitive pricing. ABLE as an association achieved an increase in our discount last year and we still seek further action by the government to help make our stores more competitive.

InterVIeW WItH tHe PresIDentAl Arbuthnot, President, ABLE BC

greater level of inspector discretion, particularly in relation to lesser contraventions.

The last issue that has been given a lot of focus by ABLE is the new Security Services Act. This act requires the licensing and training of door staff in liquor establishments. We have been working with Ministry of Public Safety staff to help them better understand the reality of our businesses. The proposed regulations and policies impose 64 hours of mandatory training for all staff performing door security functions. We have been clear to staff and Minister Les that this is too onerous and expensive given the recruitment and retention problems we already face with staff in these positions.

What is the Association’s mandate over the next year?

ABLE wants to improve communication with members and be even more accessible to them while growing our membership to represent more of the industry. We want to ensure that the work ABLE is doing is relevant and of benefit to operators.

How can pubs compete with restaurants?

Publicans have to find their own niche and be more focused on the pub side of their business. They need to remain current, work closely with suppliers, and run better promotions than their competitors. With restaurant chains rapidly expanding and promoting Monday night

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Conference editionI want to welcome all attendees to the Hospitality Industry Conference and Exposition. I know it will be an interesting and successful conference. I would like to thank the committee members that gave so much of their own time to make the conference a success - Kurt Prych, Marilyn Sanders, and Mariana Fiddler as well as my colleagues James Chase from BCYHA and Ian Tostenson, Sharron Tulk, and Kathy Rutherford from BCRFA. I would also like to thank all of the sponsors of this great event; we could not do it without your support.

New Members ABLE BC is pleased to welcome the following new members and associate members to ABLE. We have been working hard to reach out to new operators and industry businesses and it is paying off. Chris Logan, Logan’s Pub & LRS - VictoriaJohn Kristensen, Friends Neighbourhood Pub & LRS - Kelowna Frank Esposito, Mt. Lehman Lounge & LRS - AbbotsfordRob Pemberton, Ross Bay Pub - VictoriaMichael Kompass, The Fitzsimmons Pub & LRS - WhistlerMike Champ, Jackfish Dundee's - Charlie LakeAmy Cooper, The Westsyde Pump & LRS - Kamloops

Stu Bradford - Barley Station Brew Pub - Salmon Arm Rose Meyer & Darrin Campbell, Alpine Pub & Grill & LRS - Prince George Chris Mahony, Mahony & Sons Public House Ltd - VancouverDr. John Mather, Liquor Town - Prince GeorgeAl Arbuthnot, 57 Below - New Westminster

New Associate MembersJames Grievz, Talius - Salmon ArmHugh Mitchell, Vancouver Island Brewing Co. - VictoriaBrian Stewart, Charter Bus Lines of BC - DeltaRobert George, West Bros. Frame & Chair Inc. - VancouverAndrew Harris, Russell Brewing Company - Surrey

Licencing Door StaffThe provincial government recently passed the Security Services Act which includes provisions requiring the licensing of door staff in liquor establishments. This new act requires all door staff to be trained as security guards. The act will come into force by regulation and is to be phased in over the next two years.

The training includes Basic Standards Training (BST) level 1 and 2 (a total

eDItor's notesby Kim Haakstad, Executive Director, ABLE BC

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of 64 hours of training) provided by the Justice Institute of BC at the cost of approximately $500, plus an annual licensing fee. ABLE’s Board of Directors met with staff from the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General to express our concerns about the challenges this new level of regulation will place on our industry. We believe that the licensing provisions are too onerous and expensive. We are also concerned that the effect of this legislation will be that establishments will choose to not use door people rather than to use licensed ones.

GamingABLE has heard concerns from many members about the conversion of bingo halls across the province into community gaming centres that now have slot machines and liquor licences. These new gaming centres and the continued expansion of casinos that also include liquor licences has changed the way the government seems to view the combination of gambling and liquor. At the same time, our members have not been provided additional gaming options or increased commissions. With casinos and gaming centres in competition with our properties, particularly in smaller communities, we hope that by working with the government and BCLC there will be an increase in the number of socially responsible gaming options available in our establishments.

Responsible Use of LiquorAs an industry, we have long promoted the responsible use of liquor within our establishments and the responsible retailing of liquor in our LRS locations. ABLE, as an industry association, would like to do more to spread that message to the public and the government. One of the initiatives the Board has approved is a sub-committee to promote best practices in the responsible service and sale of alcoholic beverages.

We are looking for a few members to serve on this committee. If you are interested, please contact me at khaakstad@ablebc.ca.

I.D. Checking Guide - January 2008All ABLE & BCYHA members will have the opportunity to place a bulk order for both the USA/Canada I.D. Checking Guide and an international version. Last year one individual book cost $30, but with our bulk order the cost was brought down to $20 per book. Watch for your reminder in early January, as final orders will be submitted on February 1, 2008.

We want to hear from youAs the voice for the industry, we are only as strong as our members. We want to hear about the issues that are affecting you. Please let us know if there are additional member benefits you would like to see, or if there are issues you think we should be addressing.

Contact the office anytime by email at info@ablebc.ca or phone 604-688-5560.

2007 ABLE Golf TournamentOur 2007 Tournament was an amazing success. I want to once again thank all of our sponsors: Warsteiner, Sysco, Neptune Food Service, Labatt Breweries, Molson, Okanagan Springs, Brewers Distributor Ltd, Granville Island Brewing, Hub International Barton, Fort Wine Co., Peller Estates, PMA Canada, Commercial Logistics/ ContainerWorld, go2, Ward Watkins Insurance Brokers, Pacific Wine & Spirits, RBC Royal Bank, Corby Distilleries, Orca Bay, Johnstone's Benefits, Georgian Court Hotel, Heineken, Pacific Blue Cross, Global Payments, and Liquor Barn.

See you all at next year’s tournament!

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WHat's n eW?sPIrIts

For something entirely different, try the Great Wall red and white wines from Changli, China. As the most famous vineyard in China, it enjoys ideal growing conditions with steeply sloped hills and four distinct seasons. Great Wall has been chosen as the exclusive wine supplier for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. The 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon has soft tannins with juicy black cassis fruit bouquet. Retail $16.25 The 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon is a dry, easy to drink red with light body. Retail $12.26 The 2003 Pinot Chardonnay is mellow and elegant, with fragrant flower notes. Retail $12.26

Hailing from Stellenbosch, South Africa, Leopard Frog Vineyards presents its Frisky Zebras Sensuous Sauvignon Blanc and Seductive Shiraz in 1 litre tetra packs. The Sauvignon Blanc has floral, grassy, and honeyed tropical fruit aromatics and a moderate intensity. It delivers a floral, citrus flavour with a slightly bitter lime rind finish. The Shiraz is a medium-bodied red that mixes blueberries, leather, and smoky cigar flavoured fruit with a soft and spicy finish. Both are $15.95.

Tormaresca’s new, innovative Fichimori is inspired by the enchanting region of Puglia, Italy, where red wine was traditionally chilled. The Negroamaro grapes are selected in the vineyards and fermented specifically to obtain this particularly fragrant wine, rich is soft tannins, which expresses itself perfectly when served at white wine temperatures. Fichimori blends perfectly with fish dishes (including raw fish), grilled meats, spicy dishes and strong traditional recipes. $20.99

Australia’s 5-generation family winery Angove’s presents its 2004 Red Belly Black Shiraz to BC. Inky black with purple and garnet hues, this wine follows its lovely colour with aromas of rich plum, red currant and licorice together with spicy vanilla oak. This wine is ideal with your favourite red meat or hearty pasta dishes. $17.00 Look for the Red Belly Chardonnay 2006 for a medium-bodied wine, which is light straw in colour with aromas of green melon and citrus complexed by a nutty oak background. $17.99

Named after a ghostly steed said to reside upon Pooles Rock vineyard, Cockfighter’s Ghost is one of Australia’s finest varietal wine labels. The Hunter Valley Verdelho has lifted aromas of musk as well as tropical and citrus fruits. Aromatic fruit characters of green melon, lychee and peach flow onto the palate and combine with fresh natural acidity to give a crisp and dry finish. $20.95 The McLaren Vale Shiraz offers white pepper and black plum aromas. The palate is full with sweet fruit flavours of stewed rhubarb and ripe plums, which combine with fine tannins to provide good depth of flavour and length. $25.95

Bajoz Crianza is an intense and clean Spanish red with modern flavours. Boasting notes of vanilla, toast, mature berry fruits, and licorice, this well-structured and complex wine is big and bold. $19.99

Also from Spain, Tempranillo Nazares 2006 is a medium bodied red with notes of ripe red fruit, blackberry, and hints of licorice. An excellent accompaniment to grilled meats, vegetables and tapas, at only $9.99 it offers great value.

France’s Chat-en-Oeuf 2005 is made from selected parcels of old vine grenache and syrah. Packed with rich, juicy and ripe berry fruit flavours, a touch of soft tannin and a subtle twist of spice and herbs, this wine is well worth trying out. $13.99

The Michel Torino Collection of wines express a marked fruit style, showing a pure varietal character with traces of the unique terroir of Argentina. Check out their Shiraz, Pinot Noir, Malbec 2006 and Torrontes. $11.95

Znovin Znojmo’s 2003 Riesling from the Czech Republic will appeal to those who love quality, dry white wines. On the nose you will find a pleasant flowery aroma, accompanied by a balanced finish. Try it with veal or seafood dishes. $12.12

The Selback-Oster Riesling Habltrocken 2005 is a crisp, dry Mosel riesling that displays notes of ripe apples and herbs. This versatile riesling comes in a 1 litre screwcap bottle that makes it an attractive by-the-glass pour. $24.49

WIneGiffard presents its new Pink Grapefruit Liqueur, a wonderful addition to their all natural fruit liqueur lineup. Refreshing and tangy, this fruit maceration is fantastic on its own, great for cocktails and mixed drinks, or adding into your champagne, mojitos, martinis or sodas. $24.99

The Khortytsa Classic, a Ukranian vodka borne of an ancient recipe, won a gold medal in the World Spirits Competition this year. $21.75 The Khortytsa Pepper Honey Hot is derived from a delicate blend of hot red pepper and a mild, fragrant Crimean honey, brought together for the real connoisseur. $23.75

Absolut Pears is the first pear-flavoured vodka to launch globally. Boasting a fresh and clear aroma of mellow pears with a slight touch of almonds, it’s fruity, smooth and full-bodied with a long and slightly dry aftertaste. $24.25

beerAntares Beer Co. in Mar del Plata, Argentina introduces its light and smooth brews to BC. Antares Kolsch ($4.95) offers an intense golden taste and fresh aroma, while their Scotch Ale ($4.95) is a ruby-coloured, deep tasting brew. Other varieties include Barley Wine ($3.95), Imperial Stout ($3.95), and Porter ($4.95).

An old Bavarian wheat beer, Erdinger Weissbier boasts sweet banana and citrus aromas on a smooth, medium-bodied finish, for a clean, easy beer. $2.99

by Debbie Minke

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ReactionManagementby Jon Taffer

design of every plate, drink, and product possible, to maximize the guest reaction of each.

• Pubs do not serve food; they create reactions through their food. The reaction is the product that drives success and the food (specification and presentation) is only the vehicle for creating that reaction. If no positive guest reactions are created, the plate/presentation is a failure.

• Nightclubs do not play music; they create reactions through music. The reaction is the product that drives the success of the music program (or entertainment format). Selected tunes and sets are the vehicles for creating reactions only. If no positive guest reactions are created, the music program is a failure.

• Marketers do not design and buy advertising; they must create reactions from the advertising messages they create. The reaction is the “product” that drives success in advertising. If no market reactions are created by

or example, entrées are not products. They are vehicles to establish a reaction. When a plate hits a table if the guest does not react to it, the plate/presentation failed. Success is only achieved when a guest reacts to the plate. Therefore, the reaction is the product,

not the plate.

This is a significant difference in management approach. Rather than the chef designing a plate as a function to itself, we need to first determine the reaction needed from the plate. Then, the plate is designed to establish a reaction that will drive success.

When a plate or cocktail is served, the guest should visibly react. He will sit up straight, look at the other plates with entertained eyes, and otherwise display a positive reaction to it - physically and visibly. That reaction is the single most important driver of success, and therefore the true product. Accordingly, operators would do well to examine the

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What business are we in? Hospitality? Food & Beverage? Service? Entertainment? Environment? Meeting Place? Those are the answers found in all the university textbooks and management training programs. In fact, as an industry, our entire focus lies within these priorities and I think that’s wrong…dead wrong.

Everything we do is a process, never a result. Each process must establish a positive emotional reaction. That reaction is our product.

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the advertising program, it too is a failure.

• Promoters do not develop promotions; they create reactions from their promotions and events. Guest reactions are the product that drives success and the promotion, event or program is only the vehicle for creating that reaction. If no positive guest reactions are created, the event or promotion is a failure.

• Designers do not design space; they create reactions from the space they create. The reaction is the product that drives success and the design elements are only the vehicle for creating that reaction. If no positive guest reactions are created by the design/space, it too is a failure.

As other operators, developers, and marketers are working on their processes (product in-product out), you can move ahead by focusing upon making sure that each process (menu, products, development,

design, entertainment, etc.) achieves the specific objective of creating guest reactions. I believe that operators who create the greatest guest reactions win, while the others are stuck in mediocrity.

When you embrace reaction management and focus upon building elements of your business, products, and service that truly sets you apart, everything can change. You’ll never design a concept, facility, promotion, cocktail, or plate presentation the same way ever again. You can’t help but work on your business, not just in it.

In the next three issues of The Publican, each of the following three steps to help your revenue grow will be expanded upon:

Step One: Maximizing Sales per Guest Start your revenue growth plan by maximizing the sales potential of every customer you already have. You can increase your revenue by up to 18% with some simple but powerful merchandising and internal marketing programs. With this first step complete, your “sales potential per guest” will be properly supported with merchandising and other programs that will significantly increase your sales results from any promotion, marketing, meal period, or late night.

The beauty of these internal programs is that they cost little or nothing, but significantly increase sales performance every time. With this foundation of maximized customer sales results, your business is ready to increase customer visits.

Step Two: Increasing Customer FrequencyIncreasing your guest frequency by only one visit per month can boost your revenue by up to 12%…wow! All marketing research proves that increasing frequency with your existing customers is easier and far cheaper than marketing to new customers. So, with your sales potential per guest maximized, step two will focus upon building your customer frequency with tactics that can get you that powerful extra visit each month.

Step Three: Attracting New Customer VisitsNew customer marketing programs are more costly and challenging. They’re also critical to sustaining the life of your business. Your business should not be investing in costly new customer programs until solid sales building tactics and frequency programs are in place - real ones

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that work. Once you have solid check building and frequency programs in place, your business is ready to fully benefit from step three: new customer marketing.

Don’t let anyone complicate this. New customer programs simply convert prospects to new customers. There are many ways to do this. Some are very expensive, others can be totally free.

The Power of CreativeMarketing at its simplest is two separate functions: developing compelling creative, and developing ways to communicate your message. All successful marketing is driven by enticing creative that causes reactions in the desired audience. If it didn’t create a reaction, it would not be successful.

The same is true for internal marketing and merchandising. When we marketed “Blue Hawaii” shooters at the Hollywood Palace, they failed. When we changed the name of the same drink to “Blue Death”, they sold like crazy. The idea/creative was more powerful than the drink itself, just like the creative is more powerful than the advertising itself.

A commitment to great compelling ideas and creative can sometimes be an exhaustive process until we develop promotions, wording, graphics, hooks, offerings, and product elements that we believe are powerful enough to attract our target audience. We must fully believe our creative ideas and messages will compel our target audience to respond.

The Power of Your Four WallsIt takes a great business to achieve great results. The most powerful of all marketing results comes from a great experience. A well defined and managed operation provides a platform for the growth of the business. Your facility, concept, staff, products, and overall experience must create solid reactions in your guests.

The Power of Realistic ObjectivesToo often, marketing and sales objectives are too broad and spread over too much time. Operators should define, assess, and grow revenue in two ways. These are:

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The most powerful of all marketing

results comes from a great experience.

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1. Guest Counts. Positive guest count trends are a result of a good guest experience, and/or effective external marketing. Conversely, when an operation is experiencing a negative guest count trend (week to week, or month to month), the cause is typically a poor guest experience or ineffective/non-existent marketing. Guest count results are the pure measurement of business growth.

2. Sales Performance. A business can increase guest counts by 5%, but have a reduction in revenue. This can typically occur when staffing is lower than adequate. Sales per guest (or average check), is the result of internal merchandising, marketing and staff sales efforts, not marketing.

Like building guest counts, operators should employ separate tactics, budgets, and efforts to increase sales per guest results. Sales per guest results are the pure measurement of sales performance.

Establish weekly sales and marketing objectives. For a pub that serves 600 people a week for lunch, or a nightclub that has 600 guests come on Fridays, establish a reasonable, weekly objective for guest count growth. For example, increasing guest counts by 1% a week would be an increase of only 6 guests each week. This is certainly a reasonable and attainable goal. However, even with such a modest goal, in only ten weeks you have increased your guest counts by over 10%.

Short-term goals, short-term tactics and close tracking of your results are the benchmarks of marketing success. Once the weekly tactics are implemented, simply track your results and if you miss your weekly objective this week, you increase your activity next week. After 10-12 weeks, even if you miss your weekly goals a few times, you will still increase the guest count flow of your business very significantly.

Solid internal merchandising and marketing programs can increase your sales per guest by 10% to 12%. Add improved frequency and a guest count increase of 10% on top of it, and your business is off to the “promised land”.

Look for our Spring 2008 issue for Step One - Building Your Sales per Guest to learn secrets, tactics, and programs for menu merchandising, beverage merchandising, food check building, beverage check building, signature product merchandising, and sales building.

Jon Taffer is founder and President of Taffer Dynamics, Inc. and the Neighborhood Marketing Insitute. He can be reached at 561-625-3225, or visit www.tafferdynamics.com. Back by popular demand, Jon will be speaking at the BC Hospitality Industry Conference on Monday, November 19 at 10:15 am.

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SELLING YOUR STRENGTHS:SUCCESSFUL RETAILING

n past issues, The Publican magazine has looked at advertising, demographics, and marketing your licensee store. All of these are building blocks of growing a successful

and profitable business. But at the end of the day, only one thing will move your LRS to success: increasing sales. The BCLDB has recognized this, and is now working with outside sales coaching firms as part of their re-branding efforts, and it’s working. Sales are up in government liquor stores, and average sales per customer are way up, increasing profitability.

Increased retailer performance isn’t just happening at the BCLDB. Every one of our potential competitors - all retailers who compete for consumers’ disposable income such as lifestyle shops, home stores, and fashion outlets - are getting sharper. Product selection is getting better, store designs are more effective, and staff performance is getting stronger. To keep up with the increasing pace of modern retailing, we need to make sure our most important retailing skill, our selling, is up to scratch.

For many people, discussing sales strategies and techniques is difficult. Selling is often perceived as a slightly disreputable activity

- asking strangers for money - and programs or systems to increase sales ability conjure up multilevel marketing and pushy door-to-door salesmen.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Jack Greening, in his book Selling Without Confrontation, says selling is “ ... a systematic process of repetitive and measurable milestones, by which a salesperson relates his offering of a product or service in return enabling the buyer to achieve his goal in an economic way.” In other words, selling is the endpoint of the marketing process, where you satisfy a buyer’s purchase desire with a correctly positioned product.

It sounds simple, but why is it so difficult? After all, a quick query on “how to sell” on any search engine will return upwards of twenty million results! And the bookstore shelves are crowded with hundreds of volumes on “perfect” sales systems. Unfortunately, most of these books are written by former sales representatives, and most amount to a variation of “I was able to sell, and so can you!” While cheerleading does have its place, it’s more helpful to address how to effectively sell your products.

There are some simple (but very effective!) steps out there that can be used to ensure that you and your staff are getting the most out of time

spent on the sales floor. We’ll discuss them below, but first there is one crucial element that connects all great sales experiences for both the salesperson and the customer.

Think about every sales transaction you’ve made from the customer side. The positive ones that stand out all have one thing in common: the salesperson treated you well. It’s not that they were overly deferential, but they treated you with respect. They showed respect for your time, respect for your expectations, and respect for your budget. The salespeople who do this remember one thing, and that is that a customer is a human being before anything else. Nobody who walks into your LRS thinks that they’re a prospect or a client or even a consumer. Only marketers and salespeople think in those terms. The people who come to our stores think of themselves as human beings, taking time to make a purchase at your store.

It seems simplistic, but in the high pace of a busy store, with demands for your attention and time drawn to telephones, deliveries, merchandising, and maintenance, it often seems convenient to give people the easiest answer, rather than to make the effort to connect with them on a human level. Yet connecting with them will result not only in a

Iby Tim Vandergrift

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single sale, but could also result in a long-term relationship. We all go to stores or restaurants, which are well outside our neighbourhoods, out of loyalty to a good customer experience, sometimes for years after we have moved to new areas. Wouldn’t you like to have those kinds of customers coming back to you? All it takes is the human touch.

Breaking Selling Down to a ProcessSelling is an extension of the marketing process for your store. To succeed in sales you need to ensure that you’ve covered your bases in both marketing and merchandising. Once your store is looking great and your potential customers are aware of your presence, you can work on developing a system for sales.

Keep in mind that while you should be critical of guaranteed sales systems and easy fixes, using a step-by-step sales methodology will help to make sure you’re doing the best job for your store and for your customer. The current state of sales training is unfortunately pretty poor. Most retail salespeople learn on the job, with little training and guidance other than some product knowledge and training on a cash register. If we trained doctors the way we trained salespeople (“keep trying, you’ll get the hang of it!”), medicine would be a pretty sorry affair. Working through a sales system can be a valuable aid to growing a positive customer relationship.

Establish Rapport - Go back to the idea that your customer is a human being first. Only

business, and it represents a challenge for most people. The key to effective questioning is to be well prepared. You need to understand the features and benefits of the merchandise you’re selling so you can position your questions properly. Keep in mind that to your customer you’re not providing them with products, but with solutions. Nobody comes into your store thinking, “I need to purchase wine.” Instead, they come in thinking, “I wonder what wine goes with grilled quail?”

It’s tempting to ask simple technical questions - and so you should. Things like:

the most hurried people don’t want a friendly interaction, and establishing a rapport is just like making a new friend. Greet them confidently and warmly. Keep in mind that you’re not angling for a sale immediately (in fact, that comes much later) but instead you’re building a partnership with the customer, based on open, positive communication. People buy goods and services from salespeople they trust and like, so be likeable, sincere and genuine - let them see you as a real person.

Find Out What They Want and Need - This is the first transition from friendly rapport to

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• What type of products you prefer to drink?• How much do you typically spend?

Note that these are all technical questions, and consumers do not generally think in technical terms. They think in terms of lifestyle instead. It’s also important to find out:

• What is it about the beverage that excites them?• How will they use the product - to entertain, for dinner, gifting, etc.?

Listen carefully to their responses, because they’ll tell you exactly what they want and need, as long as you understand your product offerings well enough to present them as solutions.

Questioning is also a great time to open the door for additional sales. For instance, if a customer is seeking wine for their grilled quail, “The Rioja sounds perfect with your quail recipe. Have you chosen a dessert to go with it?” This opens the door to a dessert wine or port suggestion. “I just know your boss is going to love that single-malt - does he have a whisky decanter?” These aren’t pushy attempts to oversell, but questions that can lead customers to realize they have purchase possibilities they haven’t considered yet.

The most important thing to keep in mind with this step is the 80/20 rule. You’re asking the questions, but make sure that you do 20% of the talking and 80% of the listening. By understanding why they’re buying, looking for additional needs and by engaging the customer in discussion, you’ll be able to present complete solutions to them

Present Those Solutions - If you don’t know it, you can’t sell it. Every product has its own signature and characteristic, and by being familiar with them, you can recommend the crispest sauvignon blanc, the smokiest whisky, or the perfect wine for ham. Don’t be intimidated, you don’t need to know everything, just enough to figure out where the product fits for the customer.

Be sure to link the products to their wants and needs. For example, if they’re having a crowd at a barbeque, a mixed case of ales and lagers will ensure that everyone has a choice. If they asked for a red but don’t know anything about wine, offer a merlot - soft and approachable it’s neither too wimpy nor too challenging for any potential guests. Always try to offer a choice, at varying price points. If you present only one solution, it’s a yes/no answer. If you present many options, they’ll pick something suitable.

Be enthusiastic, but don’t overcomplicate things. Keep the technical language to a minimum and don’t make your customers feel inferior - remember, most of them are relying on you to guide them and they already feel intimidated. Although you may have described the same product hundreds of times, it’s the

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first time for your customer, so staying positive and enthusiastic will keep them interested.

Respond to Objections - Some consumers will simply listen to your advice and take the product, while others will hesitate. Objections are integral to the sales process. They’re not objecting to you or your store - on the contrary, people who don’t raise objections have often already decided not to purchase. Objections are a sure sign that they have unanswered questions about the product. Don’t worry, most people hem and haw occasionally when shopping, and the keys to helping them make a decision are being prepared, staying relaxed, maintaining your rapport, and focusing on providing them with a solution.

Many objections will be price-based, which leads back to solutions and product knowledge. By knowing product equivalents in other price points, and by understanding fully what they truly need, you can offer the right product.

Closing the Sale - This is the most challenging step for salespeople - asking for the sale. Yet most people need a final nudge to make up their minds. By asking for the sale, you are carrying the buying process to its logical conclusion.

First, make sure it’s the right time to close. Your customer will clearly signal when it is, giving you clues such as “That sounds wonderful, I can’t wait to try it”, or “That’s perfect - my boss will love it.” Look for positive statements referring to the product or its future use.

You can also help the customer to the close by offering them defined choices. In this way they make the decision freely: ”So do you think he’d prefer the single-malt or the blended whisky?”, “Do you want to go with one wine, or do you want to try the red and the white, and see which your guests prefer?” By assuming the sale, and offering them either/or choices, you can help them to a positive purchase decision.

Don’t worry about being too pushy. If you’ve established a rapport with the customer, and

shown integrity and credibility by asking them the right questions, and listening to their answers, this will all flow naturally and inevitably.

The most important part of the close is to thank your customer for their business. Everyone likes to be thanked, and the most important step in creating a long-term, repeat customer is to make sure they know you want them back, and that serving them is a pleasure.

Tracking Your Success - While it’s great to follow the first five steps, the only way to be sure you’re

improving your sales is to look at the numbers, set goals, and make sure you track progress against those goals. Simply saying, “I want to increase sales” won’t help - everyone wants to increase sales. Crunching your numbers and saying, “Our goal is to increase sales by 15% this month, year-over-year, and increase the average purchase per customer by 10%” will give you a solid target.

Tracking sales with modern point-of-sales machines is usually easy, and many can even break down sales hourly, daily and weekly, by transaction and by salesperson. This information is solid gold, and you should treat it as such. Tracking individual salespeople will give you the ability to coach and incent your staff to reach their own goals. When you measure these numbers, be sure to share your results immediately. The old saying goes, “what gets measured, gets managed, and what gets managed, improves.”

Make sure your staff knows how they’re performing, and be sure to make them accountable for their results. If it makes no difference to your staff if they sell $1,500 a week or $15,000, like most people they’ll take the easy route. Incentives are important, whether they are bonuses, gifts, or direct commission on increases. However, the other end applies as well. As a business owner if you have a salesperson who cannot improve his numbers, he needs coaching, training, and guidance. But eventually he may need to understand that his job depends on the sales and profitability of the business.

These are simple steps but they provide a framework for improving your sales performance. You should also consider professional sales training for yourself and your staff. The modern science of sales and marketing research has tremendous value to offer any business, large or small, and the returns on improved selling skills are immediate, and very gratifying!

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sPI r It sPotlIGHtby Carrie Powell-Davidson

liqueursOh, the sweet sounds of Christmas. All year we watch what we eat (and drink) but along comes December and out comes the sweet tooth. Why not take advantage of this urge to splurge and conjure up some festive cocktails with the tastiest and most versatile inhabitants on your back bar?

Liqueurs are to the bartender what vanilla is to the chef. They are a way of adding extra flavour and intensity with minimum risk. As the painter takes advantage of the endless combination of colours to create masterpieces, so too shall the bartender experiment with the worldwide collection of liqueurs.

The tastes of Christmas typically conjure up spices such as ginger, cinnamon, and anise and there are liqueurs flavoured with these. Noel nuptials include fruits and nuts. There are liqueurs flavoured with everything from pomegranates to hazelnuts. Of course, candy plays a huge part in seasonal celebrations. Don’t worry. Whether it is peppermint, chocolate, or toffee, liqueurs have it covered like a bonbon. In fact, perhaps the only yuletide yearning you may not be able to satisfy in a bottle would be turkey, but then again there is a new cranberry liqueur out there.

Liqueurs and cordials are made by combining distilled spirits with copious

amounts of sugar syrup and flavourings from every corner of the globe. Note: The word “crème” in a liqueur name (as in crème de banana) refers to a larger amount of sugar added, not to cream flavourings such as those found in Baileys. This is helpful when layering because these products will always be the base due to their heaviness. Historically, the distinction between liqueurs and cordials was simply that liqueurs were made mostly in old Europe (France and Italy) while cordials came from Britain and other parts of the world. Over the years, that distinction has blurred and the two terms have become interchangeable.

There are basically two groups of liqueurs. Fruit liqueurs are prepared using an infusion method with a slight heating action while plant liqueurs are made by a maceration-distillation method. Plant liqueurs are always clear after distillation so colouring is added as in the case of green crème de menthe and dark crème de cacao.

Since their introduction to our continent in the last century, liqueurs have always had a place behind BC bars. The mainstays in most bars include liqueurs flavoured with coffee, chocolate, cream and orange. The creators of liqueurs are constantly adding to the selection affording bartenders a huge opportunity to create the next big beverage trend. The Product Guide (available free from the LDB) has proven to be an

Singapore Sling-Collins Glass1 oz. gin½ oz. cherry brandy1 oz. lemon juiceBuildTop with O.J. and soda.Float grenadine. Orange and cherry garnish.

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invaluable tool for keeping abreast of the myriad of choices. Liqueurs are classified by flavour, making it easy to create new cocktails at a glance.

The history books tell us that the original liqueurs were created over 500 years ago by the Monks (Chartreuse and Benedictine, for example). Historical sources also say they were used for medicinal purposes such as aphrodisiacs, but we’re not going to go there. Rather, let’s look at turning this most versatile category of alcoholic libations into a Christmas Cocktail Buffet.

Nuttier Than A Fruit CakeCollins glass1 oz. dark rum½ oz. FrangelicoSplash cherry brandy (Surprised? It’s a liqueur, not a brandy.)Pineapple juice and orange juice.Build and garnish with as much fruit as you have available.

SnowballBrandy snifter1 oz. vodka1 oz. advocaat¼ oz. lemon juice1 scoop vanilla ice creamBlend with ice.Top with Ginger ale.

An Angel Gets Her WingsDutch cordial (1½ oz. liqueur glass)¾ oz. Kahlua½ oz. Godiva dark chocolate liqueur¼ oz. semi-whipped creamServe with an Ovation stick placed across the rim.

Happy Holidays!

White ChristmasMartini glass with chocolate syrup drizzled in a pattern and then frozen1 oz. vanilla vodka1 oz. white crème de cacao2 oz. unwhipped whipping creamShake and strain.Grate a chocolate truffle on top.

Butter TartMartini glass1 oz. vanilla vodka1 oz. butter ripple schnapps1 oz. creamShake and strain.Float three raisins.

Hot Buttered Rum BallBrandy snifter1 oz. dark rum½ oz. dark crème de cacaoHot WaterMix brown sugar, butter, powdered cloves, and nutmeg together and form a ball.Drop the ball into the hot drink just before serving.Garnish with a cinnamon stick and lemon slice.

gingerbread manCoffee glass¾ oz. ginger of the Indies¾ oz. goldschlager cinnamon schnappsCoffee and whipped creamSprinkle nutmeg and garnish with a mini gingerbread man.

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On May 29, 2007 the world changed - at least for those of us in the lottery entertainment business it did.

That day, BC’s Ombudsman, Kim Carter, released her report on the lottery system. Although she pointed to a number of things BC Lottery Corporation (BCLC) was doing right, what captured most people’s attention is what we could do better. BCLC accepted all of the Ombudsman’s recommendations and immediately developed its implementation plan.

FIRSTby Jim Lightbody

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The catalyst for the BC Ombudsman’s investigation was a high profile case in Ontario, where it was alleged a lottery retailer defrauded a player out of a large prize. Immediately, the integrity of lottery retailers across the country came under scrutiny. Were retailers stealing from unsuspecting players right here in BC? Was BCLC doing enough to stop it?

For some time, BCLC has been working to reinvent the lottery business with a focus on socially responsible and innovative new games, marketing, and technology. Recently we have begun to place even more emphasis on players’ security through the introduction of enhanced policies and procedures for ticket validation, prize claims, and customer support. We have tightened our security policies and put new security demands on our business partners. Together with our business partners we are managing the many changes to how we operate, and we will continue to improve as we learn and move forward together.

“Player First” is a company-wide initiative that puts player protection at the forefront of the lottery business. BCLC has developed a number of new systems to help its business partners offer lottery products within the highest standards for customer service. While the Player First program poses numerous challenges, its success is critical to enable the lottery business to regain the trust of the public and move forward.

As part of the process, BCLC is seeking to redefine its partnership with the hospitality industry. To date, the discussion has been how commissions made on lottery games compare (or don’t) to those for food and beverage. Those comparisons are natural and the argument is understandable. The challenge for the lottery business is delivering reasonable returns for our business partners’ service investment, while striving for significant revenue to the province for the benefit of British Columbians. Our business model differs from food and beverage in that we don’t require any significant capital investment to provide our “product” (entertainment) to customers. So, maybe this comparison is based on a false pretense: are lottery games similar in nature to food and beverage, or should lottery games be compared to other forms of entertainment offered in the hospitality industry, like cable TV or live bands that enhance customer experience?

Comparisons aside, one issue we cannot avoid is that the hospitality industry is challenged by the current tight and transitory labour market.

While BCLC expects lottery retailers to provide the highest standards of service, we are also offering expanded training opportunities and providing more self-service technology that will allow players to purchase and validate their own tickets. This will free up valued employee time and help meet many of BCLC’s expectations for improved player confidence and trust in our games.

A key strategic business driver for the lottery business is new games. We stay committed to creating and offering new games, including new ways to play current games. Gaming is a highly regulated business that requires considerable lead-time to introduce new games to market. The long development timeline also provides for stringent testing for fairness and for compliance with regulations. The hospitality industry has great potential for the introduction of more social gaming that draws customers to fun environments to play entertaining games, and maybe win some money. By creating new reasons for people to spend time together in social situations, we can all achieve our goals - for our partners, our players, and our province.

By supplying entertaining, easy to deliver, gaming entertainment with enhanced player protection, BCLC will fulfill its commitment to the public and re-establish its relationship with its partners. The lottery industry is changing, and we are working with our business partners to become a leader in the gaming industry for the benefit of British Columbians.

If you have any questions regarding this article, please contact your sales representative or Jim Lightbody at jlightbody@bclc.com.

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When John and Lisa Lepinski opened the doors to their pub in March of 1978, they couldn’t imagine what the liquor primary industry would look like today or what their role might be in it. Thirty years later, the Lepinskis are still going strong and the next generation has moved in to carry them forward.

It may have seemed an odd choice at the time; a registered nurse and a commercial pilot deciding to pursue one of the first “Neighbourhood Pub” licenses in the province, but that’s exactly what Lisa and John Lepinski did. In those days there was a great deal of caution with local governments as well as the public and provincial regulators. Just getting license approval took months or even years, with no guarantee of approval.

The John B Pub opened in Coquitlam across the street from its current location and curious patrons started coming by to see what this “Neighbourhood Pub” concept was all about. Back in the days of “beer parlours” the idea of a neighbourhood pub with enhanced food offerings, cozy atmosphere, and unlimited beverage selection was a new concept, and one that stirred significant controversy at the time. Of course, the Lepinskis have seen a tremendous amount of change in the industry over the last 30 years, but the John B has thrived over that time and continues to be one of the area’s most popular pubs.

In 1989, the Lepinskis purchased land directly across the street for the pub’s new location and proceeded to build a larger establishment with provisions for a cold beer & wine store and prize winning patio. Today, there is no lack of local competition. Five bars and pubs and 8 “pub-style” restaurants are within the immediate area, as are 7 private LRSs and 3 government liquor stores (one in the same plaza) within a 2 km radius. Keeping ahead of the competition and maintaining market share is something Lisa and John and their team work at every day.

The John B has always been known for its wide variety of products. It started with 22 different beers on tap, and providing patrons a choice of over 400 bottles of product has been a hallmark ever since. Now the back bar features a stunning 83 choices of single malt scotch! (It has now become one of this reporter’s life goals to work his way through the top row.)

The LRS has a similar selection of spirits and a vast array of wines, both domestic and imported. Of course with a government liquor store in the same plaza, providing outstanding variety and service is the only way to compete.

A wide selection also extends beyond the bar and LRS to the kitchen. Chef Toh creates new and innovative dishes every week and everything is made from scratch in the pub’s kitchen. As guests’ tastes and eating habits have changed over the years, so has the pub’s food offerings. Healthier menu choices, a wide selection of local and international flavours, and consistent high quality has allowed the pub to compete with full-service chain restaurants in the area.

However, product selection hasn’t been the only thing that has kept the John B thriving for three decades. In Lisa’s words, they have always tried to be “innovators, not imitators”. When others were busy building smoking rooms to accommodate new provincial laws, the John B saw the future and went totally non-smoking. The pub has won awards for its patio complete with a fountain and beautifully manicured gardens. The pub was one of the first to support and promote “Dry Grads” and community fundraising and charity work has been a huge part of what makes the John B special with its guests. The pub recently received the Canadian Cancer Society Relay For Life 2007 “Top Fundraisers Small Business” Award, when it raised over $16,000. Of course, without the support of its patrons, this kind of charity work would simply not be possible, and the Lepinskis are very grateful that they have the kind of staff and patrons who support the community so well.

The John B is a family owned and managed operation, of which daughter and son, Tara and Brent, now play an increasingly important

by Jonathan Niven

JOHN BPUB

THE

SURVIVEANDTHRIVE

FOR 30 YEARS

HOW TO

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role. Both children received business degrees from university and now work alongside their parents on a daily basis. Since turning of age, Tara and Brent have worked in every aspect of the pub. Brent’s wife Maria is now also being introduced to the many phases of the industry. Brian Coomer, the pub’s manager, has been with the John B from day one and is considered to be one of the family. Brian has been very involved and helpful addressing the many evolving changes in the industry.

Another area of the business that is very important to the Lepinskis is being actively involved in ABLE BC (formerly the NPOA). Both John and Lisa have been board directors of the association and John is a current Director, committed to helping the industry evolve and succeed.

John points out that only through the work of ABLE BC can the industry achieve the goals that will ultimately allow the entire industry to thrive in the coming years. In addition to the obvious networking benefits, John maintains that the association is in

the best position to provide operators with advocacy on issues such as licensing, lotteries, product pricing, insurance, and public safety. The association is the best voice for publicans to communicate with all regulatory bodies within the industry. As the lines become even more blurred between food primary and liquor primary establishments, John believes that ABLE BC can help to maintain the image of the neighbourhood pub and the identity of the liquor primary operators.

As Lisa and John hand over the responsibility of their operation to the next generation, they both still have infectious smiles and an obvious love of their pub and the industry itself. When asked for some words of wisdom and encouragement to fellow operators, Lisa says, “Enjoy what you’re doing and do it with passion.” John’s advice is “Get active in the industry and ABLE.” Their ability to survive and thrive over 30 years can be

summed up with their pub’s motto:

“There are no strangers at the John B, only friends that have not yet met.”

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AVOIDING THE CRITICAL ERRORS BEVERAGE OPERATORS MAKE10

s any teacher will tell you, making mistakes is an essential part of gaining experience. Some things you just have to learn at the school of hard knocks.

Perhaps the key to success, however, is keeping your mistakes to a minimum, and striving to keep the learning curve short and shallow.

In the beverage business, there are a number of critical errors that should be avoided like the plague. Every industry has them, ours is no different. Here is the list of ten critical errors beverage operators make:

1. Loss of ControlRunning a bar requires making a significant investment in liquid assets, liquid that can disappear at an alarming rate without a corresponding sale. Failing to implement an effective inventory control system places the capital you’ve invested at risk. To be profitable, you should have the capability of knowing exactly what inventory you have, what you paid for it, what rate you use it at, and exactly where it is at any point in time. Tracking inventory throughout your operation doesn’t

require software. Rather, it’s a matter of simple bookkeeping.

2. Monitoring Pour CostsOne of the many truisms in this business is, “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.” Nowhere is that truer than behind the bar. Determining your bar’s ongoing cost percentages - pour costs - reveals your level of profitability. As your cost of goods sold increases, gross profits diminish. Success

“When a man with money meets a man with experience, the man with the experience ends up with the money, and the man with the money ends up with the experience.”

a

by Robert Plotkin

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Your business is only as strong and

vital as your weakest employee.

""

behind the bar greatly depends on maintaining and safeguarding your profit margins. Tracking your cost percentages is a fundamental form of control - the more frequently you conduct an audit and determine your pour costs, the more insight you’ll have into your operation.

3. Weak LinksYour business is only as strong and vital as your weakest employee. Cash passes through your employees’ hands, so it is critical to assemble the most professional staff you can. One of the most important steps in the process is establishing an ongoing training program. What your people don’t know can most certainly hurt you. Their lack of expertise reflects poorly on your business, and prevents them from attaining their potential. Ongoing training is an investment, not a hardship.

4. Fiscal ResponsibilityOne plague of the beverage business is the scourge of shrinkage. Bartenders control both ends of every transaction at the bar. For some, the temptation of handling a steady stream of cash can be irresistible. Take pains to implement solid cash controls and look to reduce your vulnerability to theft. The savings often spell the difference between financial viability and the unpleasant alternative.

5. ProductivityEvery industry tracks employee productivity except ours. Calculating sales per hour is easily done and is an enormously effective means of assessing employee effectiveness. Productivity measures employee sales per hour, and is computed by dividing the shift’s gross sales by the number of hours the bartender worked. An employee with chronically low sales per hour may have a serious problem. On the positive side, a bartender with consistently high sales per hour deserves acknowledgement. Either way you look at it, tracking productivity is highly beneficial.

6. Suds WatchIndustry wide, we lose roughly 20% of the draft beer we purchase due to waste, spillage, and theft. That translates to one out of every five kegs of beer. Clamping down on draft costs is essential. Proper maintenance of the draft beer delivery system and staff training are fundamentally important. Operations that depend on draft beer sales to remain financially viable should consider investing in a draft beer control system, which is capable of tracking every ounce of product dispensed and providing a report detailing exact shift cost percentages per brand.

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7. Shoddy ProductA restaurant that doesn’t routinely change its menu always has plenty of open tables. The same is true about bars. Add some pizzazz to your beverage line-up. Shake up your specialty drinks. Change spices things up and helps keep your guests interested. Likewise, bartending staffs typically operate without a clearly defined set of recipes. The result is a loss of product consistency, fluctuating costs, and shoddy, hit-or-miss drinks. Determine what they’re pouring, or they’ll do it for you.

8. Slash MarketingThe only marketing some operators do is to recommend the cheapest brand. Strive instead to promote your business from the inside out. People are open and receptive to timely suggestions on what to drink. Develop bar menus, table tents, and wipe off boards on which to market your house specialties. If you’ve created interesting, delicious signature drinks, make sure you announce your success. You’ll likely notice that sales for whatever you actively promote will skyrocket.

9. Ill-Devised PlaybookGet drafted into the NBA and they’ll give you a playbook. Get hired as a bartender or server, and all you’ll likely get are three training shifts and a page of house policies. Being an employer is fraught with legal ramifications. Make a mistake and you could find yourself on the wrong end of a civil lawsuit. The first line of legal defense is a comprehensive, well-structured employee handbook, one that clearly defines the employees’ job descriptions, areas of responsibilities, and all the operation’s policies and procedures. Without it, legally holding employees accountable for their actions is practically impossible.

10. Lack of LeadershipThings are managed, people are led. Make every effort to become a dynamic leader, one who leads by example. Your staff is the lifeblood of your operation, without whom all enterprise ceases. Acknowledge and encourage their efforts, and nearly all other management issues will abate.

Robert Plotkin is a judge at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and has recently authored his 16th book, Secrets Revealed of America’s Greatest Cocktails - The Hottest Spirits, Freshest Places and Coolest Drinks. He can be reached at www.BarMedia.com or by e-mail at robert@barmedia.com.

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Human resourCesby go2

salaries and benefits rising in the tourism IndustryIt has been speculated that the labour shortage will increase both compensation and benefits within the tourism industry. A recent study by the Canadian tourism industry confirms that tourism compensation is up in BC.

According to the survey conducted on behalf of go2 and the Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council (CTHRC) by Hay Group - one of the country’s most respected human resource management consultants - tourism industry employees in western Canada are generally the highest paid in Canada.

The 2006 Canadian Tourism Industry Compensation Study builds on previous surveys done in BC in 2004, and the western provinces in 2005. The most notable finding is that from front-line to management positions, BC salaries and wages have significantly increased. For the surveyed positions, the average wage increase was 10% and average salary increase was 11%. The largest increase was noted at 29%.

1,153 organizat ions across Canada participated in the survey, which examined the range of compensation of more than 51,000 individuals in the 27 most common industry positions. Overall results were then divided into three sectors: Accommodation, Food & Beverage, and Recreation & Entertainment.

Based on this 2006 study, BC hourly wages and salaries are 14% higher than the national average. Here are some averages of the positions found in liquor primary establishments,

• Ensuring there is equal opportunity/lack of discrimination (45%)• Providing high quality leadership at all organizational levels (43%)• Communicating company goals to all employees (41%)• Ensuring roles/positions are seen as meaningful (41%)

Interestingly, most of the items on this list go beyond the conventional basics of providing a safe work environment and basic tools and job training.

Of course, there are many important HR considerations when dealing with a labour shortage - two of which include compensation and benefits. Beyond these, however, in many surveys employees have also noted the following as important: quality leadership, effective cross-company communication, a team environment, and the opportunity to be challenged and motivated.

To learn more about the industry’s changing compensation/benefits structure as well as effective HR attraction and retention programs, the BC and national reports on the study are available for purchase through go2. Contact John Leschyson at go2 at 604-633-9787 x 225 for further information.

Submitted by go2 - The resource for people in Tourism. For more information on using human resources to improve your business’ bottom line, visit www.go2hr.ca.

based on the average rates for food and beverage establishments. Actual wages and salaries will vary depending on the specific industry sector, size, and location of the property. Region-specific data is also available in the full study.

PROVINCIAL HOURLY BASE WAGE

Bartender $10.18 Cook $11.66 Food & Beverage Server $ 8.76

It should be noted that gratuities can account for a large percentage of total compensation. For example, 44% of survey respondents report receiving over 100% of their base salary in tips; 11% receive over 200%.

Employee benefit programs across sectors are far more common in BC than in Canada as a whole. For instance, 81% of BC operators provide dental care, 77% offer extended health care, 74% provide employee life insurance, and 73% provide long-term disability coverage. Comparable percentages on those programs for Canadian operators range from 52% to 59%.

In terms of effective attraction and retention programs, BC tourism operators cite the following as the most helpful:

• Ensuring employees have the tools/training to "do the job" (56%)• Providing a safe working environment 47%)

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BC's almost 350,000 young workers or workers new to a job site have increased protection as amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation came into effect on July 26. The amendments require employers to provide all young or new workers with orientation and training specific to the work site and to record and document that training.

A young worker is between 15 and 24 years of age while a new worker is defined as “any worker who is new to the workplace, returning to a workplace where the hazards in that workplace have changed during the worker's absence, affected by a change in the hazards of a workplace, or relocated to a new workplace if the hazards in that workplace are different from the hazards in the worker's previous workplace.”

“Too many of our young or new workers are injured soon after employment. We believe up front training and orientation specific to the job site will help change that,” said Betty Pirs WorkSafeBC's Executive Director, Prevention Services. According to WorkSafeBC statistics, every working day 36 young workers are injured and five are permanently disabled each week. In 2006, 10,893 young workers were injured in workplace accidents – nine of these were fatal.

“This will be good for job sites as those already employed will know that the workers new to the site have been trained and oriented to the risks or hazards specific to their workplace,” said Grant McMillan, Chair of the Construction Safety Association of British Columbia.

Step 2: Train the worker

Sit down with the worker and go over the checklist. You should walk around to show him emergency exits and first aid facilities, and demonstrate specific work procedures. (You can do this yourself or assign someone else to do it.)

A typical orientation should take anywhere from one to four hours. An effective orientation should make workers aware of potential hazards and let them know who to talk to if they have questions about health and safety in the future.

Step 3: Test the worker

Make sure the worker understands the training. Test worker knowledge by asking questions about specific procedures (for example, how to clean the grill and dispose of hot oil) or general requirements (for example, when and where they need to use personal protective equipment). Follow up later – ask workers questions within a few days and periodically over the next month or two.

Step 4: Keep records of the orientation

Be sure to document all training. An orientation checklist will help ensure that you have covered all the key topics when training a new worker. Give copies of the checklist and other relevant materials to the worker and keep copies for your own records.

For a sample worker orientation checklist and a list of orientation topics, see the relevant Backgrounder at www.worksafe.bc in the News Room, News Release section.

WorkSafeBC gives young or new workers more protection

Topics that must be addressed by employers in new and young workers’ orientation and training include workers’ rights to refuse to perform unsafe work, hazards to which workers might be exposed, violence in the workplace, personal protective equipment, policies and procedures to be followed when working alone or in isolation, and other general occupational health and safety topics. An employer must provide a new or young worker with additional orientation and training if that worker is unable to perform work tasks safely or if requested by that worker.

HOW TO CONDUCT AN ORIENTATIONThere are four basic steps to any training or orientation session.

Step 1: Evaluate the situation

First decide what areas the worker needs training in. Compare the worker’s job description to the worker orientation checklist. If there is no job description, this would be a good time to write one. If this is the first time you’ve oriented the worker, plan for a thorough training session. If you are re-orienting the worker, you probably won’t need to do the complete orientation – just focus on the topics that relate to the new situation or new hazards.

It’s a good idea to prepare a handout sheet for workers with contact information for supervisors and first aid attendants as well as where to find more information about worker rights and responsibilities in the Regulation.

POSITION YOUR COMPANY AS A KEY PLAYER IN THIS GROWING MARKET

Call 1-800-667-0955 to book an ad in the Spring issue

PUBLICANTHE

THE ALLIANCE OF BEVERAGE LICENSEES

“I really look forward to receiving The Publican to see what’s going on. The magazine keeps us current on industry issues.”

Lisa Lepinski, Owner, John B Pub, Coquitlam

REACH 2800 BUYERS IN THE LIQUOR INDUSTRY WITHABLE BC'S OFFICIAL MAGAZINE

$74 MILLION IN LRS SALES ARE YOU GETTING YOUR SHARE?

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Here’s a startling fact: More businesses go out of business due to insufficient business interruption insurance than due to fires or any other cause. Sadly, since this aspect of insurance is the most complicated, it is often neglected.

The first insurance seminar I ever attended, back in the early 70's, was quite revealing. The participants were mostly insurance agency owners - guys who'd been around for many years - so I was feeling a bit intimidated. The seminar was a workshop on business interruption insurance - the proper setting up of coverage to provide businesses with continued income when they were shut down for various reasons. It was astounding to see that among the 75 people in that room, with thousands of years of combined experience, no one was able to provide the moderator with acceptable

solutions to the fictional cases he presented.

Not only is business interruption insurance complicated by ambiguous policy language, it involves predicting the future, which is never easy. You start by choosing the type of coverage, from among too many choices, based on how long you expect your operations to be shut down from something as serious as a fire, heavy water damage, or the million other things that can, and do, go wrong.

Next, you try to make a reasonable guess as to how much you'd be losing in revenue if you

BUSINESSINTERRUPTIONCONUNDRUM

by Roger McLeod

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fu•sion: noun - food with international influences: a style of cooking that uses ingredients and techniques from around the world, especially one that combines Eastern and Western influences

were shut down for that length of time. Each type of coverage has a long list of rules as to how you are to make such a calculation. Considerations include issues such as payroll - whether or not all or just some of the employees are to continue to be paid, or suppliers - how your business could be affected by the inability of your suppliers to put you back in your former position, as their businesses are shut down for some reason.

Thankfully, some relief appeared in the form of "package policies" that came with a little, magazine-like explanation of what you are covered against in real English.

Neighbourhood pubs owners might find a type of policy called "Profits Form" to be helpful. This coverage is the "Rolls Royce" of business interruption, especially when the insurance company lets you skirt around some of the traps by altering the terms to be even less complicated.

With the goal of protecting a pub against bankruptcy by providing adequate replacement revenue, the calculation simplifies down to merely working out what it would cost to pay all the ongoing expenses, even when the pub was closed down, added to the net profit the operation should have been making, for up to a full year of shutdown. Even better, if the pub can reopen, but it takes a few months to get income back to where it used to be, a claim can be made for the difference!

Not all forms include the conditions mentioned, so you need to be careful about setting up your protection. Don't leave yourself exposed to loss by neglecting business interruption insurance.

Roger McLeod works for Prosperous Financial & Insurance and can be reached at 604-597-1734.

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fusion food...or confusion cuisine?

Fusion cuisine. Ask a cook today to define his cuisine and you will often hear him describe it as “fusion”. Now, back in the 70s when Wolfgang Puck was putting smoked salmon, crème fraiche, and beluga caviar or roasted duck with pears and ginger on pizzas, the term still seemed fresh, and it had been around for about a decade in California by then. These days some chefs think it is just an excuse to ignore basic tenets of good cooking.

East and west - how about north and south (think tex/mex)? The culinary clashing of cultures is a result of the effects of the global village. As people travel, cuisines meld. New ingredients and techniques are introduced, shared, and things change. In the old days, it took forever for Marco Polo to march noodles to Italy on the backs of camels. Now, with the jet age, personal mobility, and the advent of reliable refrigeration, our globetrotting generation has year-round access to

by Tim Ellison

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virtually any foodstuff desired. The age of change is slightly accelerated these days. Fusion has become a verb. It is the blending of the influences around us.

At the Listel O’Doul’s Hotel in Vancouver, Executive Chef Tim Meuhlbauer points out that the greatest place for the sharing of culture is at the dining room table. The commonality of eating and drinking is what binds humanity, so naturally there will be an exchange of culinary influence. Chef Muehlbauer explains that respecting tradition, and understanding how the dishes have evolved over the centuries and became embedded in their various societies, connects you with that culture. He and his staff are actively sourcing the best products available locally, whenever possible, and incorporating them into their menu. Indian buffets, Asian influences, and good old Prairie canning and preserves (we have a Canadian culture too, eh) go side by side, and the guests (and service staff) are asking for more.

Chef Muehlbauer’s quest for authenticity has him considering foods on a chemical and molecular level. Ferran Adria of Barcelona’s El Buli and other chefs are breaking ingredients down to their most organic level to truly comprehend why they taste and interact with each other the way that they do. A solid foundation seasoned with the sheer pleasure of experimenting with and ultimately perfecting flavour combinations is necessary to really fuse cuisines, insists Chef Muehlbauer. He says the excitement of successfully combining the best of all the culinary influences around him is what keeps him actually cooking in the kitchen everyday and loving it.

Naturally, there are some items that must be imported either because they are simply unavailable, or can’t be found locally. For properties that put a lot of effort and emphasis into food and beverage, like the Metropolitan Hotel Vancouver, there really is no choice. General Manager Jeremie Roncoroni simply insists his chef sources the finest ingredients for their guests. In order to truly set the trends and not follow them, there must be respect for tradition, ingredients, and technique. Regionality is fine, as long as it is the absolute best possible expression of what that region

has to offer, and maintains its true integrity in its execution every single time. Creating the ultimate dining experience is paramount over any trend or fad. This includes as much consideration to details like napkin colour as to menu item selection and everything in between.

I can remember working in a Vancouver kitchen and using green beans from Kenya (the chef was European and he must have used his old

supplier phone list!). These days with public opinion spawning initiatives like the 100 Mile Movement (all ingredients come from within 100 miles to reduce fossil fuel emissions generated by transportation), no chef would dare such environmental transgressions, or at least not admit it. These days you try to source locally if you can.

Back to fusion, Executive Chef Ray Henry of the Metropolitan Hotel Vancouver, feels that when working in a multicultural environment like Canada, fusion isn’t really a kind of cuisine per se, but more a natural progression of your culinary expression. As cooks are trained classically (read as French), he thinks you can’t help but be influenced by the different ingredients and variety of techniques from the myriad of cuisines and cultures that surround you. It is really regional cuisine.

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Creating the ultimate dining experience is paramount over any trend or fad. " "

It’s just that there is a lot more global variety here than a lot of other places in the world.

Chef Henry suggests that the work of a kitchen is a group ef for t . When your crew is from around the world they bring a wealth of influences and different abilities right to your doorstep. It is up to the chef to find the best expression of that mix without losing sight of the fact that it is all about really great food and constantly upping the bar to keep guests coming back. Chef

Henry has married solid techniques and the very best of ingredients from around the world to create cutting edge dishes that provide surprises and twists that intrigue and delight. He has introduced innovations like chorizo and chick pea soup garnished with feta pakoras, and a citrus salmon belly satay

appetizer. By thoroughly testing and fine-tuning recipes, he ensures all the items that make it to the menu are ones that the service staff can be confident the guests will adore.

At Gastropod Restaurant, Kitsilano’s hot new spot, chef/owner Angus An would never describe his cuisine as “fusion”. He feels too many chefs fuse dishes simply for the sake of trend. He also feels that fusion isn’t about a cultural exchange. He points out that all cultures have an individual tradition of sharing the best techniques, ingredients, and ideas amongst themselves for the betterment of all. It is human nature to share. Food, and the pleasure derived from it, is something we all appreciate, so we are inclined to work together to make it better and more pleasurable for everyone’s enjoyment.

It seems that the industry leaders agree that forcing different cultures’ techniques, ingredients, and presentations together for the sheer purpose of doing so is really not the point. It is understanding the true nature of a culture and its cuisine - not only the “hows”, but the “whys” of a dish. It is creating an exciting and innovative atmosphere that keeps cooks challenging themselves to perfect their palate and the art of creating balance on menus and individual dishes. It is about the service staff developing exacting product knowledge and perfect tableside skills. It is about everyone bringing the very best of everything this global village has to offer to thrill our guests and keep growing, and developing our very own “regional” Canadian cuisine with vibrancy and variety.

Certified Chef de Cuisine and Sommelier Tim Ellison is the Vancouver-based Sommelier and On Trade Sales Representative for the western Canadian wine importer, Rocky Mountain Wines. To contact him visit www.rockywines.com

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GIsmonDI on WIneby Anthony Gismondi

Holiday Gift Ideas The holidays will soon be upon us and that means customers with shopping lists long on names and short on gifts ideas. Thankfully there is a made-in-BC solution we call the gift of wine. For the unaware, wine is no longer the elixir of kings or the lubricant of the masses. Indeed wine has a certain respectability, especially in BC, and that combined with a little knowledge, makes it an ideal gift.

In the spirit of the holiday season, and the inevitable gift-giving frenzy, here is my “case” for a dozen wines to sell and wrap up as gifts although there is nothing stopping you from taking them home and drinking them yourself.

Champagne is all the rage again and with prices rising, bargains are not easy to find. The vintages to look for are 1998, 1999 and especially 1996 if you can find any, or stock up with a top non-vintage brut such as the Gosset Grand Reserve ($70). If quantity and quality fizz is a priority, check out the new Yellowtail Bubbles ($14) from Australia. Like most Yellowtail labels, it’s a crowd pleaser.

The health-inspired rush to red wine by consumers is tapering off in favour of a more

to be missed. That goes ditto for the savoury, crowd pleasing Pascual Toso Malbec 2005, Mendoza, Argentina ($12).

If you need a party favour for the host or hostess Late Bottle Vintage port is the only way to go, and the perfect “unfiltered” pairing that’s ready to drink is the Quinta do Crasto LBV 2000 ($29), and the 1995 Smith Woodhouse LBV ($38).

That comes to an even dozen, but you may still need something to sip on while you are wrapping the gifts. If you are a cabernet fan, look no farther than round blueberry/cassis fruit Angus The Bull Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 ($20) from South Australia, or perhaps something a bit more rustic like the Tormaresca Neprica 2004 ($15) from Apulia, Italy.

You can top up any of your bottle selections with a favourite book on wine, and/or a decanter, or a half dozen Riedel Sommelier wine glasses, and you’ll have yourself a great gift. Shop early and have a great holiday season.

Anthony Gismondi is the Editor-in-Chief at Wine Access - Canada’s Wine and Food Magazine, and is completing his 18th year as the weekly wine columnist at The Vancouver Sun. Visit www.gismondionwine.com.

balanced approach, and that means white wine is hot again. Chardonnay is always a good choice and my suggestion is to work the spectrum with a crisp, dry chablis: Domaine Christian Moreau Chablis 1er Cru Vaillon 2005 ($38); a richer, more mouth-filling California take: Rodney Strong Chardonnay Chalk Hill 2005, Sonoma County ($30); and finally the real thing from Burgundy: Louis Latour Chassagne Montrachet 2004, Côte d'Or, Burgundy ($49).

Canadian wines continue to gather steam, led by a couple of local must-buys. These won’t be easy to find, but that makes them even better gifts. The Sandhill Merlot 2005 ($20) is always a good example of south Okanagan fruit, as is the rich, spicy Jackson-Triggs Okanagan PR Shiraz ($20).

The world has gone mad for red wine, and while merlot has lost its sheen, shiraz, pinot noir and malbec are hot and will be in demand throughout the holidays. Some current best buys include a mouth-filling Fat Bastard Shiraz 2005, Languedoc, France ($17), and coming just in time for the holidays is a new, knockout pinot labelled Santa Rita Reserva Pinot Noir 2006, Valle de Leyda, Chile ($15) that is not

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Holiday ordering

lDb rePortby Katharine Jowett

total Provincial Spirit Sales growth (gross $) (Year-to-date April 2007-August 2007)

CATEGORY % CHANGEVodka 13.05% Canadian Whisky 5.64% Liqueurs 11.08%Rum 8.45% Scotch - Blend 6.40% Gin 6.45%Scotch - Malt 15.42%Tequila 13.07% Brandy 2.50%Others 6.04%TOTAL 9.56%

total Provincial Wine Sales growth (gross $) (Year-to-date April 2007-August 2007)

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN % CHANGEBritish Columbia 6.67% Australia 11.57%United States 16.23%France 24.00% Italy 19.33% Chile 18.13%Spain 27.80% Argentina 47.65% South Africa 7.53%Others 21.82%ALL COUNTRIES 11.51%

total Provincial Beer / refreshment Beverage Sales growth (Year-to-date April 2007-August 2007)

PRODUCT CATEGORY % CHANGE

Beer Commercial Brewery Domestic 0.23% Import 10.09% Cottage Brewery 31.45%

TOTAL BEER 2.77% Cider 9.44% Coolers -0.14%

TOTAL REFRESHMENT 2.84%

As the Christmas selling season is upon us, it is important to ensure that staff ordering your holiday inventory are aware of important trends in the beverage alcohol industry. To capitalize on this season’s hot sellers, compare your order/sales history from last season to the product category trends in the charts below. From there, you can extrapolate which products you will want to have in your inventory.

Another important factor to consider in your ordering process is your sales by customer type. For example, year-to-date LRS sales at the end of August are trending up 14.9 per cent and licensee sales are up 12.8 per cent, a definite sign of a buoyant economy. While there are many factors that influence these patterns (e.g. there are an additional 41 LRSs this year compared to the same period for last year), these trends should also be factored into your orders.Key SKUs to stock up on would be the top 10 spirits and wines based on your sales for the month of December last year, as consumer buying patterns change substantially in that month. Following are the top sku sales by channel from last December:

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top 10 Product Sales to LrS & Licensees - December 2006SKU LRS CHANNEL - SPIRITS SIZE (ml)67 Smirnoff - Red Label 7505959 Baileys Original Irish Cream 7501487 Crown Royal 750117 Bacardi 750240 Smirnoff - Red Label 375500512 Captain Morgan - Spiced 750190 Smirnoff - Red Label 1140893 Wisers - Deluxe 75010108 Crown Royal 1140141 Bacardi 1140

SKU LICENSEE CHANNEL - SPIRITS SIZE (ml)117101 Jagermeister 750190 Smirnoff - Red Label 1140451187 Cuervo - Especial Gold 1140136119 Polar Ice 114010108 Crown Royal 1140141 Bacardi 1140547661 Grey Goose 7505959 Baileys Original Irish Cream 75038505 Smirnoff - Red Label 175089177 Jack Daniels - Old #7 Tennessee Sour Mash 1140

SKU LRS CHANNEL - WINES SIZE (ml)624544 Shiraz - Yellow Tail 750251876 Cabernet Sauvignon - Wolf Blass Yellow Label 750627802 Chardonnay - Yellow Tail 75019968 Merlot - Yellow Tail 750377820 Jackson Triggs - Proprietors' Selection Merlot 1500399428 Jackson Triggs - Proprietors' Selection Sauv. Blanc 1500305938 Naked Grape - Shiraz 750383711 Jackson Triggs - Proprietors' Selection Merlot 750235499 Sawmill Creek - Barrel Select 150088591 Freixinet - Cordon Negro Brut 750

SKU LICENSEE CHANNEL - WINES SIZE (ml)624544 Shiraz - Yellow Tail 750251876 Cabernet Sauvignon - Wolf Blass Yellow Tail 750280461 Moet & Chandon - Cuvee Dom Perignon 750313825 Cabernet Sauvignon - J. Lohr Seven Oaks 2005 750283853 Gekkeikan - Sake 1800453084 Moet & Chandon - Brut Imperial 750563338 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin - Brut 750387100 Sonora Ranch Chardonnay 1600208439 Mission Hill - Five Vineyards Cabernet Merlot Bin 88 750627802 Chardonnay - Yellow Tail 750

Last but not least are trends in Christmas gift packages. The process for ordering these changed this year, and your store orders were submitted last March directly to the Wholesale Customer Centre. Stores that receive direct delivery from the Wholesale Customer Centre will receive their orders upon gift pack arrival in November. Those stores that continue to order from government liquor store (GLS) outlets will have their orders delivered directly to the GLS draw store, at which time the manager will advise you that your order is ready for pickup. A few highlights of gift packs that will be new to the BC market this year are:

SKU DESCRIPTION APPROX. PRICE594879 Canadian Club with Goalie Face Mask Ice Bucket $33.95655977 Starbucks Cream Liqueur with Coffee Mug $37.45843714 Absolut Vodka in a "Bling Bling" Gold Hinged Carrying Case $25.45582478 Big Rock Espresso Pack (2 glasses & espresso beans) $11.95370403 XOXO Wine and Chocolate Fondue Pack $24.99

Remember, inventory planning is key as you enter into the holiday season. If you do not have stock available, it's hard to make a sale!

On behalf of all of us at the BCLDB, I would like to wish you a happy holiday season. Cheers!

Katharine Jowett is the Director of Wholesale Business at the LDB.

Holiday gift Packages

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lClb rePortby Karen Ayers

Compliance and Enforcement – A SnapshotLCLB’s bottom line is public safety as reflected in three of our public safety priorities: preventing overcrowding, service to minors, and intoxication. The Compliance and Enforcement Division works in partnership with police agencies and local government agencies to monitor compliance, targeting resources on high-risk licensees.

To this end the Compliance and Enforcement Program has the following five goals:

1. Voluntary compliance2. Focus enforcement on public safety issues3. Speedy application of consequences for non-compliance4. Effective penalties consistently applied5. Fair and equitable decision-making

Inspectors focus on high-risk areas and problem establishments. If a liquor inspector finds that a licensee is contravening the Liquor Control and Licensing Act, its regulations or the terms and conditions of a licence, the inspector must issue a contravention notice and may recommend enforcement action to their regional manager against the licensee. Incidentally, inspectors recommend action following a contravention notice less than 10% of the time.

Compliance is high. For example, from April to June 2007 there were 3,020 inspections of all licensee types, of which there were 254 contraventions (many were multiple contraventions at the same location). Of these contraventions, the three biggest concerns broke down as

follows: 44 over service of liquor, 17 overcrowding, and 17 instances of various contraventions involving minors. This highlights the fact that the vast majority of licensees comply, which is good.

Of those contravention notices that go to a waiver or hearing, we have successfully and significantly decreased the average amount of time that elapses between a licensee being issued a contravention notice and the date when the penalty is served. The average number of days has decreased by about a third from previous years.

As stated in licensees’ terms and conditions guides, liquor inspectors are a good resource that can provide licensees with help and advice. It is a good idea to get to know your local liquor inspector.

Updated Guides AvailableAll Guides for Liquor Licensees in BC have been updated in June. If you would like us to mail you a copy of the most recent version, please email lclb.lclb@gov.bc.ca or call 1-866-209-2111. You can also download a PDF at www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/lclb/branch/index.htm. Click on “Publications and Legislation”.

BC Hospitality Industry Conference & ExpositionLCLB will once again be participating in this exposition, November 19-20, noon - 6 pm at the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre. We will be at booth 814, so please drop by to find out about our growing online services and more. We’d like to see you.

37PUBLICAN

THE

Maximizing Sales Per GuestDoor Security UpdateEntertaining Guests

The Changing Face of LRSs

Book your ads for the Spring 2008 issue by Jaunary 18th.

Call EMC Publications at 1-800-667-0955

Spring 2008

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A.B. Seating 37Abcco Products 12All Sports Group 37Applied Audio 32 AsomBroso 5BC Hosp. Industry Conf. & Exposition 29BWI Business World Inc. 17Barnet Logic Group 37Budget Food Equipment 25CLR Concepts 15Canada's National Brewers 9,11,13Cantex Equipment 10Cashline ATM Inc 19ContainerWorld 14Dead Frog Brewery 6Direct Cash BCEnergy Wise 37Foster's Wine Estates Canada 31Giffard 37Granville Island Brewing IBCHi-bridge Consulting Corp. 37Homelife Benchmark Titus Realty 10JJ Contracting 35Jimmy Zee's Distributors 26Johnstone's Benefits 16Lightbouse Brewing Co. 34Lothar Heinrich Agencies IFCMair Jensen Blair 4Matthews Campbell 37Molson Canada 23Northwest Stoves 37Omega Trading Group 28Pooles Rock Wines 36Prosperous Financial & Insurance 14Prudential Sterling Realty 22SOCAN 33Saniko Trading Corp. 30Time Access Systems 24Tree Brewing 18Vitality Foodservice Canada 16Wayne D. Murdoch Law Corp. 24

lIst oF aDVertIsers

<<<BACK IN TIMEPubs Launch Air Quality ProgramThe controversial issue of smoking in “public places” has taken on a whole new meaning because of a bold initiative by a group of Coquitlam neighbourhood pubs. Coquitlam pubs took the wind out of the sails of public health officials and special interest groups who were zealously promoting a 100% ban on smoking by winning their campaign to reverse the city’s ill-conceived 70% nonsmoking bylaw. They followed this up by implementing BC’s first indoor air quality testing program.In a major challenge to the poorly thought-out bylaws adopted by numerous municipal councils throughout BC - but primarily in the Lower Mainland - Coquitlam pubs convinced a majority of city council to strike down the existing bylaw.In a complete reversal, council approved that neighbourhood pubs and other age-controlled premises could operate without any smoking restrictions. Mayor Lou Sekora - whose hospitality industry background allows him to understand the issue far better than many of his colleagues - cast the deciding vote.Fourth and final reading of the amended bylaw was scheduled for late October. Coquitlam pubs believe their air quality testing program is the most extensive program of its kind in all of Canada

and one of the most progressive in North America. By December 31, 1997 each Coquitlam pub will voluntarily upgrade its air handling/ventilation at its own expense to comply with the industry standard set by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).Testing of indoor air quality will take place three times a year in each establishment with the results to be posted at the front door of each pub. The well-known environmental testing firm of T.D. Sterling & Associates will conduct the tests.In its submission to a joint Tri-Cities municipal committee, Coquitlam pubs had strongly recommended adoption of their “clean air” or ASHRAE standard as the most workable solution.Coquitlam pub owners’ spokesman Al Arbuthnot said his group believes the program will lead to a “marked improvement in indoor pub air quality without destroying jobs.”Neighbourhood Pub Owners’ Association of BC President Gordon Card called the Coquitlam initiative the type of program that “could help resolve a controversial issue facing many communities in BC.”

Published in the Fall 1997 issue of The Publican.

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