Mastering Efficiency: Why Boulder’s Premiere Community Bar Depends On Arryved POS

“The entire business model and service model is informed by Arryved’s functionality,” says Mel Timm, General Manager of The Rayback. Coming from the highest volume community gathering space in Boulder, this is quite the compliment. 

But it’s not just the volume—$3-4k in beverage sales per hour—that makes The Rayback’s business and service models impressive. It’s that the bar staff accomplishes this in an incredibly expansive area: They service a 7,000 sq. ft. indoor space as well as a 9,000 sq. ft. outdoor food truck park which includes various cornhole courts, fire pits, and picnic tables. “We can serve people really effectively when they’re hundreds of feet from our bar,” Mel continues.  

The Rayback’s unique business model was intentional from the start: Founders Hank Grant and Justin Riley conceptualized the communal gathering space as an ode to their southern roots. By supporting a place for other small businesses to gather, they knew they could ignite the innate local focus in Boulder and be stronger themselves because of it. 

Plus, by having the grub come to them through partnerships with 25+ food trucks, The Rayback bar staff can focus solely on beverage sales, which is their main revenue source.

How Arryved Supports A One-Of-A-Kind Business & Service Model 

Three primary Arryved features help keep The Rayback’s operations smooth and their guests pleased: 

1. Mobile Technology Gives Guests The Freedom To Explore

“To be able to carry a handheld device, and send orders, and perform all of the functions of a POS system in the palm of your hand, has made this concept possible,” says Mel. The concept is that any staff member can help any guests anywhere in the venue, thanks to mobile POS devices. “We save our team a lot of steps. Physical steps!”

This portable technology is also cloud-based, so all staff devices reflect the same information. That instant information share lets dedicated servers collect orders and others run drinks from the bar. This well-oiled service machine makes for no confusion between staff members and faster drink deliveries for guests.

And with staff ready and able to serve anyone on-premise, mobile tech empowers guests to wholly engage in everything The Rayback has to offer without worrying about where they’ll get their next drink from.  

2. Savvy Tab Management Saves Staff 12.5 Hours/Month On Tedious Admin Work

After imbibing in fast service and an exceptional atmosphere, a lot of guests leave their tabs open at the end of the night. Luckily, with Arryved’s card on file feature, guests don’t leave their credit cards behind.

However, initially, staff were spending about 30 minutes per night manually closing individual tabs. When The Rayback relayed the inconvenience to Arryved’s award-winning Support Team, they introduced staff to the tab management tool. Using this, staff can select multiple open tabs, add standardized gratuity, and close them all out at once. Now, the team only spends 5 minutes per night closing tabs!

“Arryved Support is so amazing and so responsive. There’s always someone available to answer a question,” applauds Mel. “That’s invaluable.” With problem solvers just a call or email away, The Rayback continues to find efficiencies that improve their service model. And it keeps the busy people behind the bar happy, which is more important than ever in today’s strained labor climate. 

3. Transparent, Accessible Reporting Motivates The Team

With mobile technology empowering guests and staff alike to roam, no shift looks the same for any Rayback staff member. Nevertheless, they keep a positive team mentality and stay motivated to improve, in part because of their streamlined access to Arryved reporting.

“I can give you a monthly report in a matter of seconds because I have Arryved in front of me and it’s really that simple!” Mel says, laughing. Here are 2 reports she and her team depend on to maintain high performance:

• Sales Summary Report, which provides a digestible overview of the day’s bookkeeping 
• Tip Pool Report, which totals tips collected and how much each staff member can expect to take home

With both reports updating in real-time throughout the day, each acts as a performance indicator and an incentive to a team that’s determined to maximize beverage sales and provide exceptional service. 

As the only POS The Rayback has ever used, Mel is adamant that the business couldn’t thrive without Arryved’s intuitive system. “I think it’s the only way to be honest.”

Featured image courtesy of The Rayback.