The Cost of Doing Nothing in Your Taproom

At some point in my life, someone gifted me The Book of Useless Information by Neil Botham and The Useless Information Society. As you'd expect, it’s packed with thousands of random facts that sound too bizarre to be true. One in particular stood out:

In Helsinki, Finland, instead of giving parking tickets, police usually deflate tires.

I don’t have any close friends in Helsinki to fact-check that one, and I doubt it’s true. But it does make you think:

“If I don’t do _____, what’s the consequence?”

No, I’m not suggesting you start deflating your guests’ tires to keep them around longer. But I am suggesting you ask yourself:

“What’s going to happen to my taproom if I don’t [take action]?”

Let’s tie this back to a recent topic: to-go beer. If my staff isn’t suggesting to-go beer to every guest, we could be missing out on as much as $1,758 in additional revenue per server, every month.

But not every consequence of inaction is easy to measure.

• Don’t promote your taproom events? Expect deflated attendance.

• Don’t suggest a flight to a first-time guest? They might order something they don’t enjoy, and be one and done.

• Don’t offer a second beverage? That next drink could go to the brewery or restaurant next door.

• Don’t provide food or snacks? Hungry guests might leave and spend their money elsewhere.

Sometimes, we think “doing nothing” is safe. But doing nothing is doing something. It’s making a decision to stand still while others move forward.

Innovation doesn’t have to be massive or expensive. It can be as simple as giving your team a new habit, trying a new promotion, or sending out a reminder about this weekend’s event. Small actions compound. So do missed ones.

The truth is, progress doesn’t always come from bold leaps. It often comes from consistently choosing action over inaction.

And just like those flat tires in Helsinki (true or not), if you wait too long to act, you might find yourself stuck in place.