A wish list for wine reps calling on Four Seasons Resort and Club:

• Maintain a professional relationship and be a good business partner. I promise to do the same.
  
  
• Know the systems used in your company and how to navigate them to get the best outcome for us both.
  
  
• Know the products available in your portfolio. At least be familiar with producers and major products.
  
  
• Be able to recognize classic and iconic regions and grape types.
  
  
• However, do not feel that you need to know everything about wine. No one knows everything about wine. We’re all still learning.
  
  
• Be aware of the different outlets in the resort and the concept of each. If you don’t know, feel free to ask. I am happy to tour the property with you, and to explain the needs and opportunities of the various outlets.
  
  
• Be familiar with the basic style of food and service at the major outlets in the resort.
  
  
• Utilize the resort as often as possible. This allows you to understand the beverage program from the guests’ perspective. I understand that the price point might be prohibitive. I only ask that you try to gain a guest’s perspective so that you can better understand the challenges and opportunities of the account.
  
  
• I do not give my wine list to reps for review outside of the context in which it is meant to be used. I do welcome you to sit in the restaurant for as long as needed to review the wine list. I will host coffee, tea, and water while you are there. Let me know if you see obvious omissions from the list.
  
  
• Make an appointment for any sales calls. Do not “drop by”, especially immediately prior to or during service since we are devoting our efforts to selling your products to our guests during those times. But, please do stop for a drink or dinner and experience the restaurant, bars, and other outlets.
  
  
• When calling for an appointment, have a specific agenda. Know the products that you want to present and why. Or, know what you wish to discuss and why. This allows us both to be efficient and provides opportunity to accomplish more sales.
  
  
• If you are going to be late for an appointment, please be courteous and let me know. I will do the same for you if I am going to be late for an appointment, event, or tasting.
  
  
• Communicate in an effective manner. E-mail allows a reminder and a “paper trail”. Phone calls work best for urgent and important matters.
  
  
• Deliver a new inventory/price book each month, or more often if relevant. I can’t buy what I don’t know that you have.
  
  
• Keep me informed of allocated items, new products, special offers, etc. I will keep you informed of items of interest and specific needs.
  
  
• Deliver close-out lists or other time-sensitive offers in a timely manner; immediately upon release would be ideal.
  
  
• When presenting product, consider the account. Presenting product that does not fit the program is an inefficient use of both your and my time.
  
  
• However, if you have an incentive on a product, let me know. If the product fits the program, I will make an effort to help you achieve your incentive.
  
  
• Be honest regarding your incentives or goals. Please do not misrepresent a product for which you have an incentive or goal as an excellent fit for the program if the product is not a fit. The ulterior motive will show, and trust will be destroyed.
  
  
• Different buyers have different methods of buying. While sales training says to ask for the sale at the end of the pitch or presentation, I usually do not place orders at the end of a sales call. I run the beverage program as a business, so I choose to analyze the fit for the program and place an order later. Feel free to follow up with an e-mail.
  
  
• If discounts are available, please offer and apply them. Expect me to ask for discounts and deals that are within reason and the law. We all need to make a profit so I will ask. On the other hand, asking for unreasonable deals that cause your company to lose money is not in my long-term interest. If you feel that I am being unreasonable in my requests, please let me know and offer a solution.
  
  
• Honor any deals that we strike. I will do the same.
  
  
• While shipping is not in your direct sphere of control, please assist as much as possible to insure that the correct product is shipped at the correct price. This avoids more work for us both.
  
  
• I will respect your time. I will make an attempt not to call you after normal business hours. Please respect my time in the same way. If there is an urgent item that can be resolved after normal hours and cannot wait until the opening of business the following day, I understand the exception.
  
  
• I begin checking e-mails at 7 AM most mornings and stop checking e-mails at midnight most nights. I respect your personal time, so I do not expect responses from you outside of normal business hours. You are welcome to respond if you like.
  
  
• I am interested in any learning opportunities that are offered by your company or your suppliers. Any chance to learn is appreciated.
  
  
• Unfortunately, my schedule does not allow me to attend all of the events and tastings offered, but I do want to stay informed and will attend as many as possible. So, please invite me to all events and tastings, no matter how many that I have previously declined.
  
  
• Do not try to entice me to an event by mentioning sommelier friends who will be attending, unless you have confirmation that they are attending. I will call them to confirm immediately after you hang up our call.
  
  
• I am not interested in tickets to games, passes to concerts, gifts of new iPods, or other forms of inducement. This is not how I conduct business, and these inducements are illegal in the state of Texas. The quality of your products and service are my impetus to do more business with you.
  
  
• Keeping me informed and following up, offering quality products that fit the program, honoring agreements and pricing, and maintaining superior customer service are the best ways of garnering additional business with the resort.
  
  
• Last, but certainly not least…Occasionally, remind me that I’m full of it. Everybody needs a dose of reality!

My promises to wine reps calling on Four Seasons Resort and Club:

• I will maintain a professional relationship and be a good business partner.
  
  
• I will help you understand the systems used in my company and how to navigate the system to get the best outcome for us both.
  
  
• I will be familiar with the products in your portfolio.
  
  
• I will not expect you to know everything about wine. No one knows everything about wine. We’re all still learning.
  
  
• I will answer your questions about the property and program. I am happy to tour the property with you, and to explain the needs and opportunities of the various outlets. And, I am happy to review the program with you.
  
  
• I invite you to utilize the resort as often as possible. I will attempt to give you the experience that all guests receive so that you can better understand the opportunities for sales available.
  
  
• I welcome you to sit in the restaurant for as long as needed to review the wine list. I will host coffee, tea, and water while you are there. Let me know if you see obvious omissions from the list.
  
  
• I do not take many appointments due to my schedule, but promise to remain in contact and stay informed.
  
  
• I will attend as many events and tastings as my schedule allows.
  
  
• I will respect your time by arriving at the scheduled time for any appointments that we make or events that I promise to attend. This is especially true for limited opportunity tastings and meals where being late is discourteous to both you and other buyers.
  
  
• If you send me an agenda for our appointment, I will review the agenda to maximize the effectiveness of the appointment.
  
  
• If I am going to be late for an appointment, I will be courteous and let you know.
  
  
• I will communicate in an effective manner. Please let me know your preferred method of contact.
  
  
• I will keep you informed of items of interest and specific needs.
  
  
• I will respond to time-sensitive offers in a timely manner.
  
  
• If you have an incentive on a product, let me know. If the product fits the program, I will make an effort to help you achieve your incentive.
  
  
• I will not misrepresent the needs of the property in order to obtain samples or other concessions.
  
  
• I will have a valid business reason that will have the possibility to benefit your company if I ask for samples.
  
  
• While I usually do not place orders at the end of a sales call, I will follow up in the timeframe that I promise.
  
  
• I will ask for discounts and deals since I run a profit center for the resort. However, asking for unreasonable deals that cause your company to lose money is not in my long-term interest. If you feel that I am being unreasonable in my requests, please let me know and offer a solution.
  
  
• I will follow up any shipping errors as quickly as possible.
  
  
• I will honor any deals that we strike.
  
  
• I will not throw temper tantrums.
  
  
• I will set performance parameters for critical placements such as by the glass and banquets.
  
  
• I will set corresponding penalties for non-performance regarding critical placements. Should your company be guilty of non-performance, I will apply the penalties. These penalties will be the same for all suppliers, and will be applied in a fair manner.
  
  
• I will respect your time. I will make an attempt not to call you after normal business hours. Please be understanding if there is an occasional call for an item that can be resolved after hours and is urgent enough to warrant not waiting until the start of business the follow day.
  
  
• I begin checking e-mails at 7 AM most mornings and stop checking e-mails at midnight most nights. I respect your personal time, so I do not expect responses from you outside of normal business hours. You are welcome to respond if you like.
  
  
• I will not accept offers of tickets to games, passes to concerts, gifts of new iPods, or other forms of inducement. The quality of your products and service are enough incentive for me to do business with you.
  
  
• I will evaluate our business based on your keeping me informed and following up, offering quality products that fit the program, honoring agreements and pricing, and maintaining superior customer service.
  
  
• I have several certifications and work with several education/certification organizations. If you are interested in education and certification, then I am happy to discuss this with you, answer any questions, and offer advice or direction as best I can. In addition, I will make myself available as my schedule allows to work with you on your studies.