Wine Industry Gets Customised Cellar Door Training

For immediate release
Marlborough, October 3, 2008

Wine Industry Gets Customised Cellar Door Training Course

Marlborough wineries get a customised Cellar Door Training course. This one-day training course will be delivered on October 13 at the Marlborough Research Centre by Phillip Reay of NMIT and Horder Reay Consultancy and Mike Just of Clayridge Wines.

Cellar doors present an important face of Marlborough, and in many cases they will be the principal memory that the wine tourist takes away from visiting the region. As such the industry recognises the importance of maintaining excellence in this area.

There were two lots of significant input in the development of the course to tailor it completely to industry needs. “Winery representatives helped shape the course as well as the results from the independent Mystery Shopping survey” says Sigrun Steinhagen, Marketing Project Contractor.

The Mystery Shopping survey, now in its second year, measures five areas of the customer experience from the initial online or telephone enquiry, to the actual cellar door experience, staff interaction, and the final moment of truth…whether customers felt a connection that would lead to customer loyalty.

The traveller and wine connoisseur has become increasingly discerning when it comes to customer service. NZ is a reasonably expensive destination, even more so with the high exchange rate, attracting affluent travellers. These wealthier travellers are more sophisticated, better educated and have high expectations based on international standards.

With increasingly demanding customers and increasing competition, maximising the short time spent with the customers to best effect will become a key to the cellar door experience, making this course very relevant.

On completion of the course staff will know more about what the customer is looking for, what motivates them, and will be armed with techniques to market their winery and the region in its best light, exceeding customers expectations.

Presenter Phillip Reay of Horder Reay Consultancy has 20 years of experience in the food and beverage industries, and is a judge in the for the Cuisine magazine “Restaurant of the Year” competition. “He is a specialist who can relay customer service and sales technique presenting this from a hospitality angle”, says Sigrun Steinhagen.

Mike Just is no stranger in the Marlborough wine industry, first establishing his reputation at Lawson’s Dry Hills, and later starting his own label Clayridge Vineyards. Mike started his training as a winemaker in Germany in the late 1980’s and subsequently worked at a number of prominent German wineries before settling in Marlborough in the 90’s.

To enrol staff for this course, wineries can contact NMIT, 03 578 0215.

ENDS

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