SECONDARY SPENDTOP TIPS1. Educate your staff about wine2. Get advice on your wine list3. Negotiate with suppliers for the best deals4. Offer a good selection of wine by the glass5. Invest in a quality wine preservation systemPHOTO: WWW.ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/ENRICO FIANCHINIother suggestions from the menu. Byengaging with customers in this way,staff make clients feel special and deliveran entirely different experience.Introducing this culture into a businessalso helps sales, as testified by ChrisLewis, BII Licensee of the Year 2008. Asmanaging partner of Staffordshire-basedhospitality group The Lewis Partnership,Lewis received the award for his workat The Swan Hotel, which he re-openedin 2002 following a modernisation of thehistoric former coaching inn. Vintellect’sMax Your Wine Sales training gave hisstaff greater confidence to up-sell winesleading to an eight per cent increase inwine sales on a like for like basis. Thecompany is also now selling more qualitywines with higher profit margins.His experience comes as no surpriseto Young, who says most people like toreceive a recommendation from staff andwhen they get one are prepared to spendup to 25 per cent more on a glass or bottleof wine. “If house wines represent 80per cent of sales, you can reverse this bytraining staff to make recommendationsand up-sell,” she says.As well as benefiting the bottom line,educating staff can increase their motivation,helping to boost retention levels.Some operators also say the interactivenature of the online courses helps toimprove the language skills of their foreign-bornemployees.REVAMP YOUR MENUThe industry has come a long way sinceYoung joined the family-owned brewers,but publicans as well as restaurant, barand hotel operators still have much tolearn about wine and its potential.For example, although operators offera wide selection of wine today, manywould benefit from changes to their winemenu. And a few tweaks from an expertis all it takes, says Young: “We were ableto increase sales by 20 per cent afteraltering the layout and presentation ofa client’s wine list and we didn’t evenchange their wine selection.”Operators must also ensure they getthe most from their suppliers, workingthem harder, negotiating on price andshopping around for the best deals. Andthose who have invested in a wine preservationsystem should use it properly toensure that every glass of wine is soldin optimum condition, which is one ofYoung’s particular bugbears. “I’m terrifiedof ordering wine by the glass, becausethey’re just not properly looked after.”Wine starts to oxidize the second thebottle is opened, but it’s hard to get staffto use the vacuum systems when customersare lining 10-deep at the bar, sothey often wait until they end of night todo it. By that time it’s often too late andthe quality of the wine has already startedto deteriorate, which affects the next customerwho buys a glass. But would theaverage customer really notice the difference?“If you’re lucky they might just thinkthat particular wine was a poor choice,but if you’re unlucky they might think yourvenue serves out of condition or just poorquality wine and they won’t come back.”The fact is, if operators invest wiselyin wine preservation systems, they candramatically increase their margins byselling better quality wine by the glass,says Young. She recently advised a wellknownrestaurant chain to encouragewaiting staff to tell customers that theywere now offering prosecco by the glass.In one venue where this was introducedas a standard working practice, saleswent from two to 33 bottles a week.Many operators are afraid to sellexpensive wines by the glass, but this isa wasted opportunity, says Young. “Mostpeople won’t buy a £40 bottle of wineunless they are sure they are going tolike it. If they’re able to try a glass first,they’re more likely to buy the bottle.”Young estimates that a small operationsselling 1,000 cases of wine a yearcan add at least £12,000 to its bottomline by investing £500 to £1,000 in wineeducation and a preservation system.“Wine plays an important role in ourdining and going out experience, butoften gets neglected. And you don’thave to spend a lot to get a quick return,which in today’s environment is goodnews for everyone.” ●66 Read <strong>Leisure</strong> Management online leisuremanagement.co.uk/digitalISSUE 3 <strong>2009</strong> © cybertrek <strong>2009</strong>
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