Are You Making Judgements About Whether Guests Will Buy?

More than 90% of our thoughts are subconscious. Without even realizing it, we may be making instant judgments about our guests or about situations based on biases we may not even know we have.

Becoming consciously aware of these thoughts and biases is critical, as only then will you see situations from other people’s perspectives.

In a tasting room, we see many guests during our working hours and may incorrectly judge these guests based on their accent, looks, clothes, language, familiarity with wine, or many other things. We may not even be aware that we have biases coming into play, that encourage us to judge our guests in certain ways.

Take some time to consider what you think of the guests who visit your winery.

For example:

Do you believe that one sex

• Is more likely to have a greater knowledge of wine?
• Will find it easier to identify different aromas or flavors?
• Will make the decisions on what wines will be purchased or whether to purchase your wines at all?
• Do you believe that older people will know more about wine than younger people?

Human beings tend to make judgments without having all the information needed to make decisions on what others are thinking, feeling, or going to do.

When you make these judgments, you are more likely to present information in ways that will validate what you already think. By doing this, you may be losing sales by transmitting these thoughts and ideas to the guests through verbal and non-verbal cues.

Focus on your guests as individuals and be open to exploring with them how wine does or can fit into their lives.

• Ask questions and listen to the guests’ answers.
• Be aware of when you are judging your guests and that you may be wrong.

Lastly, if you need to assume anything, assume that your guests will be leaving

with at least six bottles of wine or will join your wine club.

A tip of the glass from me to you!