The experiences of working for companies such as the Tavistock Restaurant Collection and ShowTenders, Inc., have enhanced Mike’s already refined pallet with many flavorful concepts and ideas to bring to the Areas table.
One of the driving factors behind Mike’s decision to accept this position with Areas USA is the true leadership directly above him. “There is no ‘I’ or ‘you,’ it is always ‘we.’ How are ‘we’ doing? How are ‘we’ going to attack this next task? It’s a game changer for me.”
His longer-term focus is to bring a higher standard social aspect to bartending to keep customers engaged longer. “You can have the best drinks in the world, but if you don’t have guests in the seats, having the best drinks won’t matter,” says Mike. “The social aspect of bartending or service, in general, must have some connectivity to engage, inspire or intrigue guests, so they want to stay in that environment.”
Part of this strategy is to remove the frustrating experience of trying to get the attention of a bartender. Mike plans to have his team make an impact when greeting the customer with what he calls “the intoxicating hello,” a strategy that will improve the bartender’s first approach to guests.
His energetic fuel comes from listening to, empowering, and exciting his team on the front lines who communicate with guests. “If the service staff are excited, knowledgeable, and passionate about the products they are offering, the guests will be too. When guests enter our facilities, we have one chance to make a first impression.” He emphasizes that the sale of beverages and service provided is more than just liquid in a glass. “It’s the experience the guests are having and want to continue to have.”
What Mike likes best about his new position is the process of creating a new beverage culture. “We can add notable experiences for travelers to talk about when sharing their vacation or work trip, fighting that notion of a weary traveler, one guest at a time.”