Gaining control: Inventory management
FLUID AND FLOW: BEVCHEK
Inventory control requires the physical measurement of inventory remaining to compare to what has been purchased and sold. There are three ways to measure how much liquor or beer is left in the container: by estimate, which is subjective and periodic; by weight, which is relatively objective and periodic; and by fluid or flow, which is highly accurate and exists in real time, according to Dave Creasy of Bevchek Systems.
The first two methods are periodic, meaning that an inventory count is required to start the process. Once the inventory is complete, the result is the detection of missing inventory, says Creasy. However, from there the ability to identify when (and by whom) any problems occurred is very difficult. The measurement of actual product used is the only method that allows the detection of problems in real time and also the identification of when and by whom a problem occurred if the review is after the fact.
Bevchek relies on the third, and as Creasy says, most accurate measurement of inventory as it measures the exact amount of beer that is poured from a keg and compares it in real time to what has been sold in the point of sale.
Bevchek software reads usage volumes as they are poured. The POS interface reads beverage sales data from all establishment POS machines. The data is then sent to the system’s servers where it is sorted, stored and prepared for viewing. The user can access the data on any web-enabled device worldwide through secure access to the Bevchek website. In addition, multiple user levels allow varying degrees of information access and graphing tools track changes in customer purchasing trends providing you with real-time marketing data.
This type of system is best suited to a bar owner that wants to focus on his or her guests, products, service and employees and not on administrative tasks. Bevchek is fully automated to alert a bar owner the minute exception events occur, rather than waiting until the actual inventory count identifies a shortage.
Alternatively, summary and detailed reports are available through a secure website to be viewed at the owner or manager’s convenience.
Minimal management support is required as Bevchek is fully automated to alert a manager’s phone or PDA. Its web-based reporting solution provides managers real-time information whenever they want or need it.
This type of system is ideal for operations with significant draft beer volumes. The cost depends on the size of the establishment, but the system can be installed for a few thousand dollars and a small monthly fee. In addition, most operators experience a complete recovery of their investment within four to six months.