Understanding Captain Service

Captain Service gives hosts one point of contact for a multi-bartender booking, and pays the Captain separately for the coordination work — all through the bartendersNow™ app.

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Captain Service is our on-platform coordination feature designed to streamline communication and coordination for events, particularly those involving multiple bartenders or intricate logistics. By designating one experienced bartender as the "Captain," hosts gain a central point of contact for their entire bar service team through the bartendersNow™ app.

This approach supports clearer communication, better coordination, and more efficient event execution, and it keeps coordination work paid for through the platform rather than off it.

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Captain Service is specifically engineered to:

• Keep coordination on the platform by giving the host and Captain a direct in-app message thread
• Fairly compensate bartenders for coordination work that traditionally goes unpaid
• Maintain professional relationships through structured, trackable communication
• Protect earning opportunities for both bartenders and the platform ecosystem

Advanced Communication Features:

• Direct messaging in a one-on-one in-app thread with your Captain
• Image sharing capabilities for layout planning and coordination
• Notifications on the devices where you have allowed them, with no app to install
• A written record of what is said in the thread

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Single Point of Contact: Bar-related communication goes through one person instead of several.

Coordination: The Captain coordinates setup, service, and breakdown across the bartenders you booked.

Improved Planning: Share layouts, timelines, and specific instructions directly with your Captain.

One Person to Ask: Questions about the bar go to your Captain rather than to several bartenders. How quickly they reply is up to them, so agree on how you will reach each other when you book.

• In-app messaging with your Captain, with no app to install
• Image sharing for venue layouts and setup coordination
• In-app updates and coordination through your Captain
• Integration with our Stock List and Smart Staffing Calculator recommendations

Additional Compensation: Set a Captain Service fee, as a percentage of total bartender costs or a flat rate, and be paid through the platform for coordination work.

Coordination Experience: Show hosts that you can coordinate a team on larger or more complex events.

Coordinating Is Not Supervising: The other bartenders on the event are independent, as you are. Your role is to coordinate the bar with them and to be the one person the host talks to.

Direct Host Communication: Message the host directly and share images in your Captain thread.

A Bigger Role: Coordinate the bar across a larger or more complex event, and be paid separately for that coordination work.

Larger Events: Captain roles are usually on larger events, where coordination is part of the work.

• Coordination work is paid through the platform as part of your booking payout
• A written dispute process under our Dispute Resolution Policy if a booking goes wrong
• Documentation of all coordination activities

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When bartenders offer Captain Service in their profiles, hosts see it as an add-on when they book. Bartenders can structure their Captain Service fees in one of two ways:

• Percentage-based fee of the total cost of all bartenders hired for the event
• Includes all bartender earnings (Captain's own compensation plus other team members)
• Added to overall event cost when host selects Captain Service
• Optional minimum amount — a floor the Captain can set for smaller events
• Scales appropriately with event size and complexity

• Fixed fee for serving as Captain for entire event duration
• Independent of team size providing predictable compensation
• Clear value proposition for hosts planning complex events
• Professional rate setting based on coordination complexity and requirements

For Hosts:

• Transparent pricing shown as an add-on when you book

For Bartenders:

• Paid coordination time, set by your own Captain fee
• Recognition of coordination work through separate Captain pay
• Professional growth through documented coordination experience

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Captain Service leverages the bartendersNow™ app to provide:

• In-app messaging for all coordination with your Captain
• Image sharing for detailed planning and layout coordination
• Push notifications on the devices where you have allowed them
• Cross-device access enabling coordination from any platform

• In-app messaging that keeps the booking's coordination on the platform
• Coordination pay recorded on the platform — coordination work is paid through the booking payout
• A written record of coordination kept in the app
• Dispute handling — booking disputes are raised under our Dispute Resolution Policy, which sets out the steps, the timelines, and what the platform can and cannot do

Captain Service works seamlessly with our planning tools:

• Detailed beverage specifications provided to Captain for team coordination
• Ingredient-level planning enabling setup and service coordination
• Updates communicated through your Captain to the team

• Team size: when the host uses the Smart Staffing Calculator to decide how many bartenders to book, the Captain coordinates the ones they book

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Skills You Build:

• Coordination experience on multi-bartender events
• Professional communication skills through host relationship building
• Problem-solving expertise in high-pressure event environments

Career Advancement Opportunities:

• Access to larger events through demonstrated coordination experience
• A separate Captain fee, set by you, for the coordination work
• Your reputation, built through reviews from the hosts you serve

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Consider offering Captain Service in your profile to:

• Be paid separately for coordination work
• Coordinate the bar on multi-bartender events
• Talk directly with the host in a Captain thread

Ready to become a Captain? Update your profile through the bartendersNow™ app and start offering coordination on multi-bartender events.

For larger events or those requiring detailed coordination, select a bartender offering Captain Service for:

• A single point of contact for bar service
• One person to brief on layouts, timing and the drinks menu
• Coordination across the bartenders you book, handled by the Captain rather than by you

Ready to enhance your event? Use our Smart Staffing Calculator to determine if Captain Service would benefit your specific event requirements.

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Captain Service represents our commitment to:

• Fair compensation for professional expertise
• Coordination for hosts on larger or multi-bartender events

Consider Captain Service for larger or multi-bartender events through bartendersNow™.

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• Captain Service Communication Guide: How a Captain Service bartender communicates with the host and the team
• Success Roadmap: Building your bartending career through platform features
• Smart Staffing Calculator: Plan team size for Captain-led service
• Best Practices: How experienced bartenders run a smooth service