Keeping costs down and making a profit are two of the most important aspects of managing a bar in today's highly competitive drinking establishments. To enable this, your choice of bar equipment suppliers is crucial to the success of your business, whether you run a village pub or a state-of-the-art nightclub in the city. From the alcohol you purchase to the uniforms of your staff, your supplier must be flexible, reliable and good value too. How do you ensure you have the best supplier available? Do your research and don't rush the decision. Mistakes can be costly.

Pricing

Understandably, price is a key consideration when choosing your supplier. But don't make the mistake of thinking that cheap is best, because you do get what you pay for. Keeping your costs down, particularly if you are just starting out in the business, is extremely important, but bear in mind that you must thoroughly check the quality of what is available. Ending up with below-par supplies will give your business a bad reputation too. Learn the art of negotiation: with the industry being so competitive, many suppliers can and will offer discounts when purchasing in bulk. Ask for a trade account because this will give you at least 30 days to pay your bill - sometimes longer. You can normally opt to lease equipment too, which will keep initial costs down. If you can find a supplier online that offers all of this and good pricing, then they are certainly worth contacting for a quote.

Research

Nowadays it is a lot easier to search for reputable bar equipment suppliers due to the wealth of information available on the internet. It is a great way of comparing similar suppliers and researching their feedback from previous customers. Many online retailers are affiliated with sites where customers can leave feedback on the services and products they received. These are pretty much transparent, so if you are reading a lot of negative reviews, walk away. Even if they don't have customer reviews on their site, you can often find independent reviews on the internet. More often than not, the negatives will find their way to the top of the search engine results.

Hidden Costs

Be very wary of hidden costs. In particular, delivery costs, which are often added on at the end to the original price quoted. Other vendors will include delivery costs within their quote. Furthermore, when considering the delivery, find out what their schedule is for delivery in your area. You don't want to be waiting for supplies if they only deliver on certain days. Planning in advance will be crucial to your business operating effectively in the future.

Finally, when it comes to equipment, we all like a choice, so it's worth finding out if your supplier has options on items such as glasses or even straws. This is an extra touch that might just be worth paying a little more for in the longer term.