By Kevin Smith, Staff Writer

Clay Harding is a big believer in efficiency - and saving money.

As manager of Charlie's Trio, a restaurant/sports bar on the border of South Pasadena and Los Angeles, he's keeping a tight control on profits from his liquor sales.

A big part of that is tracking the "shrinkage," or loss, that occurs when drinks are over-poured, wasted, given out for free, or when inventory is stolen.

That's where Bevinco comes in.

The profit management and inventory-control firm is dedicated to providing bar and restaurant owners with a proven, effective method to control liquor loss and improve profitability.

Harding said Bevinco has reduced his pour costs - the net amount it costs the business to pour liquor in each drink - from 31 percent to about 20 percent.

"There is no standard (desired cost) for liquor," he said. "It really depends on what your concept is and what you're going after as far as business. The optimum cost I try to run is 20 percent."

And that equates to a substantial year-over-year savings. In Harding's case, about $60,000 a year.

Bevinco franchise owner Marc Leader of Silverlake said his system is fine-tuned, leaving no room for error.

"I get a drink recipe for every key in the register," said Leader, whose service region includes Pasadena, Glendale and the downtown Los Angeles/Inglewood area. "If you hit Jack Daniels, I can tell that an ounce and a half of liquor should be poured. So if

Jack Daniels was hit 50 times during the week, I know that amounted to 75 ounces. I do this with every mixed drink."

So what's the reaction when a restaurant or bar contracts with Bevinco and discovers how much money is being lost on a regular basis?

"Some of them are shocked, and some already know," Leader said. "I was a bartender for a long time and I knew there was no way to hold your bartending staff accountable. That's the reason I got into this business."

Leader initiates the audit process by doing a private evaluation during a three-week period before the business is open each day.

"The owner brings me in early in the day so I can do the work, and when it's finished I then show the owner the report," he said. "I also weigh the draft beer, and if they are overpouring I catch that. It's about 50/50 as to whether they are overpouring or giving away drinks"

From then on, it's generally a matter of weekly audits to keep things on track, according to Leader.

"Usually, the staff at a bar or restaurant will change their habits overnight because they know they will be held accountable," he said. "I find that the shortages are about 25 percent on average. If you compared that that ... that's like getting only 75 cents out of your dollar."