Week of January 8th, 2007
Posted by Bob Lee on 07 Jan 2007 at 09:04 pm | Tagged as: Weekly Message
We’re faced with a “Cadillac” problem. In changing the wine class to a 6 PM start meant that a lot of people can make it to the class. That was good but too many people can make it to the class. Our apologies to those that we had to turn away but there were way too many people for Liza and I to give the good service that you deserve. If it was true before that you needed to show up early it is really true now. We are going to cap the number of attendees at 45 so please understand and please plan accordingly.
This Friday, January 12th, Scott Greenwold from Southern Wines is going to take us to Chile and Argentina, figuratively. We’ll taste a Sauvignon Blanc from Chile and then a Chardonnay from Argentina. Then we will try a Merlot, one Cab from Chile and another from Argentina and a Malbec/Cabernet blend from Argentina.
The following week we will have the owner and winemaker from Rancho Rossa Vineyards, Chris Hamilton, in the shop. And then on February 2 we will have Stuart Blackwell from St Hallet Winery in Australia in. So mark your calendars as attendance is limited.
I am constantly amazed by businesses that make rules “to not do business” or to use a current term they are not “customer focused”.
The dropping of the Saturday tasting forced those “customers” that could not get to the Friday tasting to be lost.
The moving of the Friday start time to 6:00PM to help those Saturday customers or others who found the 5:30PM time to be a hinderance has now caused those very customers or some regular Friday night customers to be turned away.
These moves have caused lost customers, therefore lost revenue and while appearing “customer focused’ are not!
Also, a crowd of 45 people at a tasting is just that a crowd!
Thank you for the opportunity to express a comment.
Having too many customers is a great ‘problem’ to have. You and Liza have a great place and obviously this is evident to many people.
It’s unfortunate that sometimes customers are turned away, but at the same time, the customers who do attend do not want to be packed in like sardines.
Maybe someday again the Saturday class will come back, but until then, I’ll be there early.
Thanks CCW!