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 5 w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m that's true. It's great when someone notices you care about your work and do it well; waiters, like actors or musicians, get to find out almost immediately if what they've done was well received. We're lucky that way. To a great degree, in a tasting room, even with retail sales, you get to enjoy that as well. It can be pretty heady stuff, especially if you forget why you're doing this. MAKING CONNECTIONS Too many entertainers believe it's all about them. It's not; it's about their audience. The applause isn't solely generated by the actor's great performance; ask any play- wright. The audience is respond- ing; without it, the performance didn't happen. And what motivates the tasting room worker? They're not doing it for the money. No, cynical read- er, they're not. Because if it was about the money, they'd be doing s o m e t h i n g f a r m o r e l u c r a t i v e . For those of us in service, we're doing what we do because some- thing about it feels good. And at least part of that warm and fuzzy thing, I insist, is because we're doing something nice for someone else. We get to bring them flavor, good flavor, something whole- some, hopefully something that reflects the place where we are. It's intensely personal, and when two people connect in some way, it feels good to us. Humans are social creatures first. To dine alone, to drink alone, to be alone, can be very sad. We exist to help each other, to enjoy each other's company. Look around you: All that we as a species have a c c o m p l i s h e d h a s h a p p e n e d because we're incredibly adept at working together. What makes us strong are our connections. So as overly earnest as this all might be, it's important to consider this each time you open the door or answer the phone. Someone has decided to spend their time learning more about you; that's pure flattery. Even if they seem noncommittal or dismissive, this is your chance to show them that here, at your win- the customer. Hopefully it's true. And maybe both of you will have just a little bit better day because you've said so. Doug Frost is a Kansas City author who's one of only four people in the world to have achieved the remark- able distinctions of Master Sommeli- er and Master of Wine. He's written three books, is the global wine and spirits consultant for United Airlines and writes about wine and spirits for many publications. Frost is the direc- tor of the Jefferson Cup Invitational Wine Competition, the Mid-Amer- ican Wine Competition, the Wash- ington Cup Spirits Competition, the host of the Emmy Award winning PBS-TV show FermentNation and is a founding partner of Beverage Alco- hol Resource, an educational and consulting company. Comments? Please e-mail us at feedback@vwmmedia.com. ery, things are different. Here, we have fun. Here, we enjoy and value interaction with everyone. It's not easy; I'm sure you've experienced a fair measure of push- back when you've tried to change someone's mood or attitude. The real measure of service is the abil- ity to accept people as they are, not as you wish them to be. The great restaurateur Danny Meyer even goes so far as to ask that we pro- vide more than mere service. "Ser- vice is a monologue," as he puts it. "Hospitality is a dialogue." That means listening first before speak- ing. It requires asking people what it is that interests them instead of assuming that what interests you should interest them. It brings respect into the rela- tionship between server (that's you) and customer. "Ladies and gentle- men," the old Ritz Carlton service mantra went, "serving ladies and gentlemen." That, too, helps pre- scribe service as an attitude of self- respect that allows genuine service and respect to the customer, no judgment, no attitude. Of course, you'll still have trou- blesome customers. People have problems. They're to be pitied or at least treated mercifully. Our goal is to make sure everyone has a great day. It won't always hap- pen, so the best step we can take is to make sure they know that, if and when they return, we prom- ise to try very hard to make things relaxing and fun as soon as they walk in the door. A BETTER DAY One last note: Part of service is being able to accept thanks gra- ciously. These days, the most fre- quent response I receive upon thanking someone for their service is "No problem." As Harold Pinter responded once to such a server, "I wasn't expecting one." Of course, it's no problem to give people good service. If someone actually notices and thanks you? You should respond as respectfully and as graciously as possible: "It's our pleasure," says far more about the relationship you've built with MIDWEST WATCH DOUG FROST