Article contributed by Kacey Bradley, The Drifter Collective
“A bottle of red / a bottle of white / it all depends upon your appetite…” Billy Joel once sang in “Italian Restaurant.” But is it sufficient for your staff to be unable to suggest pairing a Cabernet with a steak or a Pinot Grigio with the fish special? Absolutely not!
Improving your staff’s wine education elevates the customer experience. Business people entertaining corporate clients appreciate staff who behave with appropriate decorum — and expertise while speaking about your cellar selections. Honeymooning couples looking for that perfect bottle for a special occasion love discovering new finds based on recommendations. By teaching your employees the following seven things about wine, you can wow your guests and drive repeat visitors.
1. Help Them Get Certified
Do you have a superstar on staff? Maybe someone who came from a rough background, but who nevertheless displays key behavioral characteristics like willingness to learn and eagerness to please your customers? Why not help them take their career to the next level by helping them pay for sommelier training and certification?
You may think, “But if I help them attain this certification, what’s to say they won’t leave my establishment for elsewhere?” Take a hard pass on this mindset. By showing staff you’re willing to invest in their professional development, no strings attached, you build morale and loyalty. The best employees recognize when an employer is committed to their growth and will jump through hoops to make them happy. You could create a superstar out of the talent you have in house.
2. Invite Them to Regular Tastings
You’re in the hospitality industry because you love food and wine, right? Why not make that love into a regular celebration — and learning experience — by hosting regular wine tastings with all staff?
In addition to building morale and a positive team environment, wine education can be done in a fun way. Few want to sit through a PowerPoint presentation when they can sip their way to learning. You also train staff in how to conduct a proper wine tasting, a critical skill if you own a boutique establishment or winery which offers such services to patrons.
3. Review Menu Items and Suggested Pairings Regularly
How often do you change your menu? If you do so seasonally, you do well to get your staff together for in-person updates at the same time. Break out the new dishes, and quiz staff on which wines they would suggest to pair with each meal.
Allow staff time to share their ideas. You don’t want to domineer the conversation. Like fingerprints, everyone’s taste in wine and what pairs well is unique. Permitting your staff to offer insight can help you narrow down two to three recommended pairings for each plate.
4. Inform Them Moderate Consumption Lowers Cancer Risk
Many people know that moderate wine consumption benefits their heart. But did you know that it can also lower your risk of developing colon cancer by as much as 50 percent, according to recent studies?
Some guests express concerns about the negative health effects of drinking, and you benefit from validating these concerns. But by letting staff gently educate patrons as to the health benefits of moderate wine consumption, you could receive more bottle orders.
5. Encourage Them to Experiment
Obviously, drinking while on the job is a no-no. But examine your policies for staff meals. If budget permits, could you allow staff to enjoy a free meal and a glass after their shift?
Many employees respond positively to such perks. The job of serving keeps them on their feet, and they may not feel like cooking when they get home. Allowing them to experiment with a food and wine pairing of their choice when shift ends inspires loyalty and further acquaints them with the menu — a win-win.
6. Create Incentives for Expanding Their Learning
If you want your employees to continue their professional development after hours, what incentives do you provide for doing so? Just as you carefully evaluate your options before expanding your business operations, your employees weigh carefully how to spend their spare time, especially if they work multiple jobs to survive.
Provide monetary incentives for employees who continue their wine education after hours. These need not be in the form of raises, though they can be. You can offer one-time bonuses, or even establish a continuing learning trajectory where staff earn certain rewards for achieving specific levels.
7. Take Them on a Wine Tour
Is your establishment located in a region like Napa, California where wineries abound literally everywhere? Why not take a field trip with staff on a group wine tour and explore the tastes of the region?
You can educate staff in a fun way, and potentially locate new vintages to serve. Sourcing locally costs less in shipping, and it also reduces your carbon footprint. Finally, patrons appreciate restaurants which serve locally sourced foods and beverages, and you can use this fact in your marketing efforts.
Making Wine Education Entertaining
Foodservice can prove rewarding, but it’s a tough career path with much turnover. Make learning about wine fun and engaging for your staff, and reap the benefits of higher employee retention, better customer service and increased sales.
Kacey Bradley is the blogger behind The Drifter Collective, an eclectic lifestyle blog that expresses various forms of style through the influence of culture and the world around us. Follow her on Twitter to keep up with her travels and inspiring posts!
