The Spark – Jan 2025
Ireland has always been known as the land of a thousand welcomes. Visitors flock to our shores to sample our heritage, our culture and of course our music. Irish music has made a huge impact throughout the world, whether its Riverdance, U2, The Dubliners or Fontaines DC. Irish music is sought after and popular in all four corners of the globe. But what is the impact of music in Ireland?
It has generally been accepted that music has played an integral part of the hospitality industry, creating an atmosphere that enhances customer experiences and influences employee productivity. The Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO), within Music360, delved into the role of music in bars and restaurants across Ireland with a comprehensive piece of research exploring how music affects both consumers and employees in the sector.
Understanding the Study
As part of the study, we investigated the impact of music on customer experience, revenue, and employee behaviour in seven different bars and restaurants over a three-month period. The focus was threefold: to understand the impact of music on productivity in the workplace, on customers at various times of the day and in a variety of settings and finally on sales and customer retention
The findings were very interesting
- Music and Productivity: The study found that music plays a crucial role in maintaining staff’s spark, focus and energy. It helps set the pace of work, lifts moods during long shifts, and keeps staff engaged. Employees reported that the right music can make them feel more efficient and happier at work.
- Music Curation and Planning: The research highlighted the importance of adapting music to the time of day, crowd size, and noise levels. Centralised control of music often led to repetitive playlists, which often disengages staff. In contrast, allowing staff at a local level to control the music choice to better match the venue’s atmosphere, customers etc improves both staff morale and customer experience.
- Impact on the Customer: Music significantly sparks the atmosphere in a venue, influencing customer behaviour and satisfaction. Different customer groups respond to different types of music, and adjusting the volume and genre to suit the time of day and crowd size is crucial for maintaining the right vibe.
- Sales and Customer Retention: Music indirectly affects customer retention and spending. A welcoming atmosphere created by the right music encourages customers to stay longer and spend more. Music-themed events also proved to be effective in drawing in more customers and boosting revenue.
The study underscores the importance of music in the hospitality sector. Music not only enhances the customer experience but also boosts staff productivity and morale. By carefully curating music to fit the time, setting, and customer demographics, venues can create an inviting atmosphere that encourages longer stays and increased spending. This research provides valuable insights for hospitality businesses looking to leverage music as a tool for improving both employee engagement and customer satisfaction. This however, as much research does, leads to more questions and additional areas of exploration and gives us some exciting opportunities for the next stages… watch this space!
Music360 