Bartender interaction: How does small talk work?

When people consider the importance and value of proper communication, they are great for bartender interaction. An experienced bartender is someone who is able to make small talk work regardless of the topic.

The way to make small talk work is always to let the guests do most of the talking. An experienced bartender always knows when to speak and makes sure that the other person feels that they are listening. This is a balance that requires bartender interaction and not just “yes and no” answers.

Here is an interesting article on the way that people should handle small talk.

The types of guests and the possible topics to deal with

One thing that bartenders will find is that they will encounter all kinds of guests during their careers. There are different types of guests that you can find in most situations. We are going to list the most popular types and provide some tips on how to handle those conversations. You can also check this article on many different types of customers bartenders deal with.

The sports fan guest

This is a very common type of guest that will usually expect you to know all about their favorite teams. If you are not into sports, you can still come out of this fine if you use some techniques. For example, if someone says “I loved the game yesterday, the Dodgers played perfectly, would you agree?” if you are not familiar with baseball teams and the current games, you could just say something like “I missed the game, but I heard it was amazing”.

This gives way for the guests to continue talking and it will save you all the time and energy trying to keep up. You already told the guest you missed the game, but by saying you heard it was amazing, you are inviting the guest to carry on and talk about how amazing the game was.

The depressed guest

We have all seen the typical bar scene where everyone at the bar looks depressed and down. While this is a cliché to a certain extent, you are still going to find it quite common. There are going to be people who are feeling depressed and want someone to listen.

This could be due to a fight with a spouse or because they lost their job, etc. The main thing to consider in those situations is that you should be ready to answer questions or comments without feeling awkward.

For example, if a guest says “my wife left me and I feel so alone”. This can be a very difficult thing to answer. You may feel awkward and hesitate, but you can always answer in a way that feels honest.

You could say something like “It’s always hard to experience a breakup, but somehow we always find a way to bounce back”. This is a good and honest answer that is not trying to make it seem like it is not a big deal, but it is also trying to avoid making it worst.

The inquisitor

This is a common thing to see when people start to drink too much and they get a bit rowdy. They become very demanding and ask personal questions to the bartender. Those questions can range from how many kids they have, to their marital status, or their place of residence.

A bartender can always answer this without having to answer it at all. If they have if you have kids, you can say “Do you have kids?” to try to get them to start talking about themselves and divert the focus they had on you.

If they ask if you are married, you say “marriage is such a complicated thing right?” this way you are not really answering the question, but you are keeping things rolling. These are just examples of how to handle the daily small talk that occurs with a number of guests.

The activist

This type of guest is always complaining about the government and talking about the issues of the world. The best approach with someone like this is to always listen and avoid giving your own opinion. You can say something like “I try not to get too involved in politics, but I like to hear what others have to say and this helps me build a better opinion on issues”.

This is a perfect way for you to invite this person to keep talking and avoid focusing on asking you questions. You may find that this type of guest is very passionate about what they say, so to avoid any unnecessary hassles, it is best not to engage in arguments regarding politics.

Any other type of guest that is very chatty for bartender interaction

It is possible that you will find other situations with chatty guests and the idea is to be ready to handle anything. There will be times when you will stumble upon guests that are activists who are depressed and lost their job. When that happens, you better be ready to handle this sort of situation to the best of your ability.

Also remember that on top of the guest-related issues, bartenders deal with many other things at work. Here is a list of the most common problems.

The challenge of handling the most difficult patrons

There will also come a Tim when someone will become very loud and even threatening. This is not a common occurrence but it does happen more often than people imagine. When this is the case, it is a good idea to keep this in mind at all times. You need to be able to avoid this sort of issue as much as you can.

If you find yourself dealing with someone who is becoming too aggressive, you need to be ready to deal with this carefully. Never allow your emotions to get the best of you. Always remember that your emotional intelligence as a bartender is essential.

The way you deal with emotions that you feel during stressful situations is going to be very relevant in bartending. It is very unlikely that someone with no emotional control can get very far as a bartender. There will be too many situations that will test those emotions and failing to control them is a big problem.

In contrast, someone who is very much in control of their emotions will do great in this industry. This is not a place for people to take things personally. Bartending is all about being able to work and not allow your personal feelings to control situations. This is the true essence of the bartender lifestyle and it is the main component of a successful career.

True success comes from being very good at bartender interaction with others in such environments. it is important to know the boundaries of the dos and don’ts. This article gives you the essentials on the matter.

Where is the best place to work for proper bartender interaction?

When you are a bartender and you don’t like dealing with too much small talk, the best approach is to work at crowded events. The way it works is that a quiet and small place can easily lead to more conversations. If you work at a crowded bar, there is no room for chitchat due to the large number of guests.

This is one of the reasons why a large number of bartenders prefers crowded event and bars. The nightclub scene is great for this purpose because there is very little interaction aside from serving drinks. This is also perfect for the purpose of getting as many tips as possible.

How do I hire someone good at bartender interaction?

When you are looking to hire a very reliable and high-quality bartender, you need to keep in mind that this is not the easiest thing to achieve. You will find that there are many options, but not all of them are going to be optimal. You have to take the time to learn more about the possible bartender prospects for your needs.

A good way to do this is to always go online and check out what kind of experience they have. If you are looking for a team of bartenders, it is important to see how experienced they are. You can also look into past customer reviews to see how good they are. Having the opinion of past customers is always super important and useful.

The best approach is to look for as many alternatives as they can and discuss their rates. Keep in mind that the more experienced someone is, the more likely it is that they will be able to handle your event properly. Their rates are also going to be higher as they have more experience and a good reputation.

How much should I tip a proper bartender interaction?

The amount of money that you decide to tip a bartender is going to depend on several factors. The thing to keep in mind at all times is that a standard for tipping is to not go lower than $10. The most common range for tipping is between $20 and $50, but this also depends on the location and the situation.

The best way to handle this is to always consider the performance of the bartender. This includes how well they serve the drinks, how friendly they are, and how efficient they are in general.

The best tips for bartenders usually come from people whom they serve drinks for all night. A good bartender will always know when it is a good time to serve another drink or what type of drinks to serve. This also depends on the environment which is usually a less crowded and more exclusive setting.

Are all top bartenders good at interactions with patrons?

A great bartender is someone who has shown to be extremely skilled at what they do and good interactions are a must. This is a person that has been able to achieve optimal results with their efforts. When someone is a high-end bartender, they have done plenty of work to get to that position. It is much easier for a bartender to charge a higher fee when they have the experience to back up their services. Part of this is to show that they can interact with people.

When you consider the way that most bartenders work, the highest-ranked ones will usually work as freelancers. This is sot be expected as there is more potential for them to earn higher amounts of income. That is why freelance bartending is a much better choice for many bartenders.

Are freelancing bartenders good at interacting with people?

A freelancing bartender is someone who works in a completely different way. This type of bartender does not work for a single employer, instead, they work with multiple clients monthly. This is a different type of bartending because it offers more income than specific salary.

The only issue with freelance bartending is that it can be much harder to achieve results at first. You need to make a name for yourself if you want to start finding constant work. It is also common for freelancers to charge a much lower fee at first in order to get a nice client portfolio started.

Once a bartender manages to find enough clients, there will be recurrent events from several of those clients. This leads to a more reliable business that is profitable and long-lasting.

Party shakers offer the best bartending service you can find

If you are looking for the highest quality services, the best approach is to hire a reliable service provider. When you do this, it will become much easier for you to achieve the results you want.

Party shakers have been around for a very long time and we know how important it is to provide results. We always work hard to ensure the best possible service to our customers. Just let us know what kind of services you need and we will handle the rest.

Questions and answers 

Final thoughts on bartender interaction

You always want to work with an experienced bartender that knows how to handle all the small talk scenarios. This should also be someone who is very knowledgeable about drinks and friendly. A great bartender can adapt to any sort of event and crowd.

If you wan a team that understands bartender interactions, contact Party Shakers for your next event!