I went to do some field research yesterday to get some ideas for my club regarding layout and the way they were run.
The club I went to had about 30 customers at the time, and 5 or 6 dancers. It was just before 5:00, and customers were starting to come in.
There was no cover charge because it was before 5. The boucer at the door just said "your all set". He didn't ask if I had ever been there before or give me a rundown on the club. Lost opportunity there.
I went and sat at the stage. It took almost 10 minutes for a waitress to approach me. She was "busy" sitting at the bar chatting with the bartender. Lost opportunity to get me a drink, and a chance that a customer was sitting by the stage without $1's to tip the dancers. She also didn't mention that there was food available.
The girl on stage was decent looking. I put out a tip and she approached. She looked bored, and didn't interact with any of the customers, other than to dance a little and get the tips. I smiled and asked "Hi, how are you today.". She barely acknowledged that I spoke to her. She lost the chance to line up some private dances and make some real money.
Three dancers were sitting together at the back end of the bar talking. About 6 or 7 guys were sitting in the private dance area without being approached by a dancer for the hour I was there. More lost opportunity. I have to believe that they each could have sold 1 or 2 dances in that hour. They'll never know because they never tried. Also, the DJ never mentioned that girls are available for private dances.
Another dancer came on. Nice looking, and friendly. She smiled the whole time she was on, and interacted with the guys at the stage. From a dancing perspective, she didn't do anything different fromthe 2 girls before her, but she showed she had a great personality. And the guys noticed. More guys tipped her, and guys were putting up 2 or 3 dollars at a time rather than just a buck. She easily made 4 times what the other dancers did during their sets(I was counting). She also lined up at least 3 or 4 guys for private dances after her set. This girl did it the right way. I am surprised the others didn't notice.
How I think this should have played out:
I enter the club, the bouncer greets me and explains the club rules. A minor cover not so much to make money, but to break large bills so I'd have money to tip at the stage.
The waitress comes right over to get my drink order, again checking to see if I need change for a bigger bill. She mentions menu in case I anm hungry.
The dancers interacting more with the guys near the stage. Get them spending, and lining up private dances.
The DJ announcing that the girl is available for private dances at the end of her set.
Employees not talking with each other, and interacting with the customers instead. It's a sales environment. Employees sell to customers, not to each other. Dancers should be working the club.
Bouncer inquiring to customers on the way out if they enjoyed themselves and asking them to come back again.
I am sure most of these dancers went home and complained about how little they made on their shift. But it wasn't that the customers weren't cheap, it's that mismanagement and laziness lost a lot of opportunity.
I wonder how many dancers here are working at a club that isn't helping them to maximize their earnings? Is your club like the one I described?



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This is why dancers want owners to run the business on the up and up, by corporate standards. If you hire a real hospitality school trained manager they help create a mission statement for your business and implement it by creating and training a team that works together for everybody's good. Everybody makes more money from increased traffic and a larger pool of high rollers. Even in a tiny bar, a good manager helps create, convey, and maintain your standards. Instead of having an opportunistic, bottom-feeding club that feeds on and perpetuates dysfunction, you have a club that protects the owner and ALL employees physically and finacially. From throwing out abusive customers and employees to training waitresses and hosts to sell and upsell for you. You won't need to pimp dancers with endlessly rising house fees. My rant for the day is done
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