British pub chain Greene King has launched the Landlord Knowledge online training scheme, inspired by London black cab test The Knowledge, helping pub owners get more friendly with their customers.
Over half (53%) of the pub chain’s landlords say they can name three quarters of their regulars, according to a survey recently conducted by Greene King Locals. Just under three quarters (72%) believe they know more people locally than the average resident, and 63% say they’re fountains of knowledge when it comes to neighbourhood nous.
Greene King Locals, a network of 600 plus community pubs, is launching a training programme to teach landlords extra memory tricks and confidence skills so they can get to know their customers even better. They will become even more connected with their neighbourhoods and able to make visitors feel extra welcome.
The poll showed that on average, pub general managers get to know a local’s name after just over five visits. The Landlord Knowledge online scheme offer landlords memory tests for tips on how to better remember customers orders. It also looks at a variety of pub events and regular occurrences – from mental health-led scenarios, such as how to spot anxiety and depression in customers, through to ways to diffuse aggressive situations.
Coronation Street star Catherine Tyldesley, who played barmaid Eva Price on the soap – said of Greene King Local’s new training programme: “There really is so much more to working behind a bar than pulling pints, so I think the Landlord Knowledge is a brilliant idea. Eva certainly could have benefitted from the training during her time in Weatherfield, where she worked behind two bars – the Rovers Return and Nick’s Bistro. I also worked as a barmaid, in real life, before I joined Corrie. I would have been a much better one, had I completed this training.
“Having expert guidance on how to up your knowledge on customers – as well as knowing how best to manage conversations and situations – will do wonders to make the customer experience even better. It would also have diffused many of the brilliant plotlines that were played out in the pub.”
Terry Rigg, landlord of The Fox & Pheasant, a Greene King Locals pub in Stoke Poges, said: “We’ve always recognised the importance of our pub general managers in the local communities they quite literally serve, so we’re delighted to be rolling out The Landlord Knowledge training across our 600-strong network of pubs.
“We know that our customers always feel welcome in our pubs – and that our pub managers have their fingers on the pulse when it comes to what’s going on in the lives of those who love a visit to their local – but there’s always more that we can do to make the experience even better for everyone.”
