Four years ago, my wife and I visited this establishment and had one of the best customer service…read moreexperiences we've ever had. The employee working that day was welcoming, knowledgeable, and genuinely invested in helping us enjoy our visit. She guided us through wine tastings, answered questions, and created such a memorable experience that we purchased over $100 in wine and merchandise. In fact, that experience was so exceptional that it was the main reason we decided to return four years later.
Unfortunately, our recent visit was the complete opposite.
When we entered, the employee working was on her phone and did not acknowledge us at all--not even a simple "hello" or "welcome." We spent time browsing and discussing what we might purchase, and I even commented out loud that I wasn't sure what we wanted to buy. Despite several opportunities, no assistance or engagement was offered.
The only reason we made a purchase at all was because we remembered and wanted to relive the wonderful experience from our previous visit. We purchased frozen sangria slushies, but we had every intention of buying much more. I was interested in purchasing wine, a tumbler, and a hat, and we were considering additional bottles of wine as well.
However, when my wife was placing our order, the employee seemed irritated that she had to repeat herself and raised her voice in a way that made us feel like we were inconveniencing her. At that point, we decided not to spend any additional money and left with only the slushies.
As someone who manages customer service for a living, I understand how much impact a single employee can have on a customer's perception of a business. Based on our experience, I would encourage management to review the level of customer service being provided and invest in staff training where needed. Exceptional customer service creates loyal customers and drives sales; poor customer service does exactly the opposite.
We returned because of the outstanding experience we had four years ago. Sadly, this visit ensured that we will not be returning again. It's disappointing because the products are great, and we genuinely wanted to support the business. Unfortunately, the customer service we received made that decision difficult.
One employee created a customer who came back four years later. Another employee lost that customer in a single visit.
