If ever there was a demonstration of the innate connection between live music and a healthy drinks tab, then it is punk anthem Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps Please.
Not only is Splodgenessabounds‘ 1981 single lyrically a minimalist’s truncated dream – simple, brutal brevity yet it inspired the title of a BBC3 sitcom – but the rock’n’roll rant encapsulates the not infrequent frustration of trying to order a round in the presence of loud music.
Add into this mix evolving social distancing measures and the Peckham punks’ signature tune could well end up at the politer end of the drinks ordering spectrum as live music continues to return.
However, with sections of the hospitality sector, like pubs and cafes, already getting customers not only used to using remote ordering apps, but increasingly impressing them with the lack of queuing and potential confusion, venues and clubs now are ideally placed to take advantage of what is proving to be a systematic shift in consumer behaviour.
During the next quarter, Butlr is giving back all the profits it makes from Music Venues Alliance partners who use their app
After all, according to Barclaycard the average value of non-cash payments has risen by nearly 30% over the lockdown, and with the Treasury giving the go-ahead to increase the upper limit on contactless to £100 this year, digital spending is not only here to stay, it is becoming more popular than splashing the cash.
The Butlr ordering platform is designed to help live music venues make the most of this new way to pay.
With a strong commitment to the Music Venue Trust (MVT), the app was built with venues and clubs in mind and can be quickly incorporated into any drink or food service environment, plus, as it is available for both Apple and Android platforms, it also incorporates both ApplePay and Google Pay meaning gig-goers do not have to try to type in long credit card numbers into their phones just as the house lights go down.
Recent data collected by the ordering platform’s metrics show that this ease of ordering has increased per-head spend by up to 64% in some cases, while nine out of ten venues saw customers ordering an increasing number of drinks each visit – well, when you don’t have to miss the main act to get a drink it really is your round.
Additionally, a survey done for the app found that Butlr was popular with those pulling pints too. Seven out of 10 venues suggested their staff were happy using the app, partly because it made ordering easier and partly (well, perhaps more than partly) because ease of service inspired a rise in tips.
There is also potential satisfaction for any venues or clubs thinking about making the switch to a remote ordering platform, as Butlr does not levy any sign-up or monthly fees. Instead, a market-leading 1.9% transaction rate is charged, while hardware and customer service support is available for free.
However, convenience for venues, staff and – most importantly of all – customers, is not Butlr’s only big number, as for the next three months it has a particularly notable encore thanks to that relationship with the MVT.
During the next quarter, Butlr is giving back all the profits it makes from Music Venues Alliance (MVA) partners who use their app.
MVA members have the option to keep the money to invest in themselves, or they can choose to donate some or all of their totals to the MVT. It means that all money raised – which based on estimated turnovers could be around the £750,000 mark – will stay within the grassroots live sector at a time when, post lockdown, every penny is crucial.
So consider Butlr, the ordering platform that wants to keep urgent shouts for “Two pints of Lager and a packet of crisps, please” onstage – and only onstage – for years to come.
