I recently stopped in a large wine store to purchase a bottle of wine. The store was conveniently located near my errands. The customer experience left me a bit chilled.
Cellar or Seller?
The wine industry has been trying to fight its elitist image for a number of years. The typical method appears to be more friendly and helpful staff. Eliminate the fussiness.
I went into a store that had “cellar” as part of its name. The name conjured the image that the wines would be properly cared for in the correct climate conditions.
At my wife’s request, I was seeking a bottle of wine to share during the weekend. Open to what to buy, I was heartened to see a sign indicating a wine tasting in the “Loft”.
The “Loft”
I ascended the stairs to the “Loft”. Several feelings immediately hit me.
1) It was pretty hot up in the “Loft”.
Even us wine newbies know wine is to be maintained at certain temperatures to protect all the hard work of the wine maker. Do these guys know what they are doing?
2) The prices got higher the closer I got to the wine tasting table.
The message I interpreted was that the wines being poured would be expensive. The conclusion that I drew was why bother trying the very expensive wine? Do these guys know what they are doing?
3) I was totally ignored by the store employee as I approached the tasting table.
He only had three folks at the table. He did not make eye contact or acknowledge me in any way. Feeling unwanted or unwelcome, I turned around and left the “Loft”. Do these guys know what they are doing?
The Takeaway
Walk the talk with your customers. Live the words you espouse about customer engagement. Make new or potential customers feel welcome to do business with you today and tomorrow.
What Do You Think? Please Comment.
- Have you had a similar experience in a wine store or other business?
- Would you ever do business with a company like this one in the future?
- What is your customer engagement policy?
1 reply on “Wine Stores: High Price or High Brow?”
Helpful post, thanks for the info.