Cellar Door Etiquette: Part 2 For Staff
As promised ( a long long time ago), following on from Part 1 which was directed at Cellar door visitors, now it is time for some tips for the hosts, the Cellar Door (Tasting Room) Staff.
Many apologies for the delay in publishing and I really have no excuses except for being busy.
1) Show an Interest in Wine
I know it sounds simple, but it is essential.
The cellar door is the face of the winery and a lack of interest or knowledge of wine will directly reflect on how people perceive the wines themselves.
It doesnt have to be your life’s passion, but you need to show interest.
2) Treat Every Single Visitor With Respect
You are working in a service industry, which means you will get the chance to deal with people you like and dont like. Although this can be testing it is important to treat every single person that visits your winery with respect and good manners.
You can not afford to underestimate any customer on the basis of their age, nationality, perceived wealth (or lack thereof), clothes or anything,,,however good you think you are at picking your customers, you will always be proven wrong at some stage.
Keep frustrations to yourself, or out in the back office.
3) Sell Wine
Everyone has their own personality and does things differently but the basis is: no wine sold = no job.
Sometimes people get lost making friends they neglect the sales part. No need to be the pushy salesperson, but there is a balance.
Make things as easy as possible for people to purchase and always ask for the sale…it isn’ t rude and most people are expecting it anyway. Make sure you mention any deals/wine club benefits which might be suitable.
4) Know Your Region and Your Industry
You should have a general knowledge of local restaurants, places for coffee, good accommodation, children’s activities and build some relationships with other wineries to recommend.
Staff should know popular wines, popular styles and those of competitors to be able to understand questions your customers may raise.
Never, ever, ever critizise other wineries, regardless of what your personal opinion is.
5) Know Your Product and Your Winery’s Stories
The sales staff are the talking face of the wine and the presentation needs to be in line with the image that winery is aiming to purvey.
Some things good places do:
a) Staff Training
This can be just in the form of allocated time in the winery, team tastings or wine dinners. Not only does it add to general wine knowledge, it provides stories to assist in selling the wines.
Staff can also benefit from seeking our further study can from external training like WSET courses, TAFE or courses provided by your local industry association. Visit other wineries. Read industry magazines. Read Wine Blogs.
b) Cultivate the stories
Cellar Door staff need a set list of stories to tell to add a dimension to the wines on tasting. The truth is: most people tasting wines at your cellar door will rarely have a very advanced palate for wine. What takes a wine to the next level over a bottle shop purchase will then generally be fuelled by the story of that bottle they can tell their friends.
- WINEDUCATION - 