Walter David (WD) Baucom III, President of BarMan Control, shares how BarMan was born out of a conversation with a regular customer, and further explains their tagline, “It’s not IT that we do — it’s gentlemen’s clubs, built by owners, for owners.”
(NOTE: This story appears in the January 2024 issue of ED Magazine.)
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D Baucom, a gentle giant like his father “Slim Baucom,” was brought into the family business at a young age. Although he admires his father’s business practices, working with kin hasn’t always been easy; yet, Baucom still finds time to spend with his wife and children and enjoy a golfing hobby for himself.
According to the junior Baucom, President of BarMan Control, BarMan isn’t a POS company, it’s a club software created by people with decades of experience in club management, designed to smoothen regular operations. And Baucom isn’t a POS guy, but he is a man invested in the advancement of the industry he grew up in. Upgraded and improved over decades of tinkering in MAL clubs, and across generations of Baucoms, BarMan, which isn’t tied to any specific hardware, will support operations in most clubs who are willing to benefit from it.
ED: What’s one trait about yourself that people you conduct business with wouldn’t know about you or would be surprised to find out?
WD: Compassion is my most distinguishing trait. I am 6’1”, 275 pounds, bald-headed with tattoos and silent. My demeanor throws a lot of people off, but I am very friendly and willing to listen and help.
ED: When you’re not overseeing installations and operation or training employees, how do you enjoy spending your time?
WD: I recently had to find an alternative hobby after my daughters outgrew sports. I loved supporting my kids, but I have substituted golf for it. Golf is a much more leisurely activity that gives me much-needed me-time, perfect for relieving the stress inherent in the nature of our business.
ED: What are some of the things on your personal ‘bucket list’? Places you’d like to visit, things you’d like to do?
WD: My father did his utmost to ensure we had all the things we needed. I am humbled and grateful, and I am not interested in all the glitz and glamour.
ED: How long have you worked for your father? How closely do you work him now?
WD: I began working for my dad when I was old enough to change the TV channel. Working with your father certainly has ups and downs, as we share a close working relationship. Most of the time, his way is the right way, but who’s keeping track?
ED: What attracted you to the POS industry in the first place?
WD: Initially, my dad used pencil and paper for his manager reports and inventory, in the late ‘70s-’80s. The manager would perform all calculations at the end of each shift, then go to each money-generating station and retrieve z-tapes from the registers, add up all the line items on the duplicated manager’s paper report and determine a deposit amount.
In the early ‘90s, my uncle Timmy was completing his close-down procedures for his shift when one of his regular customers inquired about what he was doing, and through their exchange, the original BarMan was created. Years later, we added the entertainer and employee time tracking. This version of BarMan was used for almost 30 years.
One day, I decided to explore POS systems that could expedite our close-down protocol. Unfortunately, nothing on the market — and still, to this day — could achieve what we wanted or even half of what BarMan was already capable of. So I redirected my efforts into enhancing BarMan. Now, BarMan handles every aspect of the industry, from the front door to the back of the house. If BarMan can’t do what is needed for any club — it will once we are done with it! I hope this explains why I’m not attracted to POS at all, but I am attracted to making sure our clubs and anyone else’s club are running for the betterment of the owners; hence the BarMan slogan: “It’s not IT that we do — it’s gentlemen’s clubs, built by owners, for owners.”
ED: What separates your company’s POS system from other systems that club operators may have used in the past?
WD: Simply put, we aren’t a POS company. BarMan was created by people who have been in the industry for decades and know its ins and outs. Our software allows you to use desktops, tablets, all-in-one computers and non-touch screens. We can even use existing cash drawers if you are replacing an existing POS. I know BarMan may not be for everyone, and no one likes change, but we are here to support those who want to benefit from it.
For more information, please visit barmancontrol.com.
