Licensees must be trained to run pubs

Business development managers (BDMs) could become an endangered species if licensees received better training and modern IT business support, a trade expert has claimed.

BII "business doctor" Trevor Brown told a British Beer & Pub Association forum there would be less need for pubco BDMs if licensees had the correct skills and head-office support through electronic relationship management.

Brown said it was clear that current standards and methods of training did not equip lessees with the skills to run a successful 21st-century licensed retail business.

"Managed house companies would not dream of letting a manager loose in one of their pubs with the level and amount of training that is currently provided for prospective lessees," he said.

Trade consultant Brown, a former BDM himself, called for a comprehensive core-skills training programme leading to a new qualification that would be recognised by every operator.

"If licensees were unable to take on a pub without that qualification it would be a lot better," he suggested.

"The improvement in the public perception of our market sector would be huge and more high-quality applicants would be attracted."

"The problem is made worse by the content of some current training courses. In the age of the computer, the relevance of spending half a day with a pen and calculator learning how to achieve a selling price net of VAT totally escapes me," he said.

Brown wondered whether the number of BDMs in the industry could be halved if licensees were properly trained. "If we want to change the model maybe it is time to revisit the established wisdom that running a leased estate in a quasi-managed house fashion is the right way," he said.

"It could be licensees may be more receptive to business advice coming from an external and independent consultant rather than a company employee. It could be a better strategy for the 21st century to halve the number of BDMs rather than double them."