Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/764739
w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m J a n - F e b 2 017 | V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T 2 3 w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m timely to consider how well each task is performed and what the goals of at least some of them ought to be. But overarching them all is service. Perhaps my view of business will always be colored by my 15-year-long stint as an alcohol beverage wholesaler; I see everything as would a classic middleman. I buy something from one person, and then I sell it to someone else, hopefully for more money. In an ideal world, whatever I've purchased has been improved by my involvement. Of course, a winery is a manufacturer, it's not merely passing along a widget in a commercial chain of events. But wineries love to intone how "wine is made in the vineyard"; all my favorite winemakers say their role is to not screw up the raw mate- rials they're given. Sounds like a middle- man to me. Some wineries see things this way, and they focus on both ends of this implied equation. They're making the best wine they can, and then selling it as best they can. THE FRONT LINES But since it's often been demonstrated that I have nothing to offer the world as an electrician, perhaps I can offer deeper con- sideration to the role of sales. Years before I joined the distributor ranks, I was in res- taurants. From age 14, I saw what service looks like. "Service" is a term Americans often reserve for those in the military, serving their country and fellow citizens. That they are. They aren't only providing sometimes dangerous and difficult servic- es, they're taking on grave responsibility for others. It's a nice image to carry, especially when you're on the front lines of the alco- hol industry. Among the myriad duties of a winery worker, especially some- one in a tasting room, is taking on at least some responsibility for the choic- es and behavior of others. Why don't we add "cop" to the jobs list? For the safety of others both near and far, and to ensure the viability of the winery, you have to take charge of situations before they go awry. Needless to say, this is an uncomfortable posi- unning a winery demands the adop- tion of a bewildering variety of roles. It's like a one-man play with 50 dif- ferent characters. You're not just changing hats all the time; with so many costume changes, it's like a damned fashion show. If simultaneously acting as accountant, ad writer, bartender, bookkeeper, bouncer, busboy, chef, compliance agent, construc- tion worker, delivery boy, dishwasher, electrician, entertainer, event coordinator, farmer, graphic artist, host, janitor, land- scape artist, lobbyist, maintenance work- er, plumber, psychologist, public speaker, repairman, reservation taker, viticulturist, waiter, wine salesman and, oh, yes, some- times even winemaker, is what turns you on, you may have diagnosed just yourself with ADHD. At a minimum, winery personnel are challenged to proceed from role to role, quickly and smartly. In the spirit of a New Year and the often overly optimistic resolu- tions that are mostly unheeded, it seems MIDWEST WATCH DOUG FROST + Running a winery demands the adoption of a bewildering variety of roles. + To serve others is as high a calling as you can have. + The real measure of service is the ability to accept people as they are, not as you wish them to be. + Our goal is to make sure everyone has a great day. AT A GLANCE There Is No Problem Providing excellent service is an art.