A recently recurring theme-individuals in this business don't know how to act like a professional. I am hearing about this constantly. I'm not about to throw a generation under the bus either. It's not only the young people. It is all levels, all jobs, all ages. It's almost as if, the wine business isn't a career. The most obvious culprits are the buyers that have gotten a little fame or notoriety. I've also seen it with winery employees, distributors, sales reps. Here is a VERY short list that EVERYONE in this business needs to do every day.
- Return phone call/ emails.
- Be on time
- Communicate before things go wrong (stuck in traffic, dog got sprayed by skunk, etc)
- Keep appointments
- Respect everyone's time (including the competition that's waiting)
- Listen to needs of the people you work with
- Show professional courtesy to the colleagues of your clients (bussers, hosts, dishwashers)
- Don't get sloppy (drunk, flirty, gossipy)
- Respect order cutoffs AND reps non working hours
- Take responsibility for your mistakes
- Respect the bureaucracy of the company you are working with. Don't go over anyone's head unless its 100% necessary.
- Remember, you won't ALWAYS be this important. If you act like an ass now, you're be treated like one on the way back down.
- ALWAYS, thank people for their time and their business.