The Up-Sell in a Hospitality setting - Top Tips & Major Pitfalls with wine-by-the-glass

The Up-sell in a Hospitality setting –Top Tips & Major Pitfalls with wine-by-the-glass.

The secret to  “up-selling” is to not make the guest feel like they are being sold, the offer and the acceptance needs to feel natural and in context with the meal, the up-sell should be perceived by the guest as an attractive added value offer of a special experience they aspire to. The objective should be to conspicuously DELIVER VALUE and optimize the guest experience provided for the optimal $ revenue, not the necessarily the maximum $ revenue.  When you strive for maximum revenue you heighten the chances of guest disappointment, and unfortunately you will rarely get the immediate guest feedback when you disappoint or fall short on delivering the anticipated guest experience .

With wine-by-the-glass it is very tempting to offer and push trade-up selections without the service being in place, just because you know the guest is yearning for a better wine experience, and hey it seems easy to open that bottle and sell it to them but without delivering value in the service first you have detracted from the experience, not added. It is imperative to not cut corners on the service, this is a key part of the quality and added value your guest will appreciate. 

Major pitfall with ‘up-selling’ wine & Champagne by-the-glass occur when the elevated service is not in place before the up-sell is offered, such as:

-          The service to deliver the added value offer is not put in place before the wine offer is launched

-          Offer is over-sold and pushed on the guest, resulting in disappointment, instead of being conspicuously merchandised, enticing the guest to choose.

-          The added value of the offer is not emphasized or delivered. The ‘Craft’ of serving this special experience is not apparent

-          The promise of the ‘trade-up’ experience is not delivered because the up-sell was disappointing ( too expensive or value was diminished due to poor execution or service – i.e. an premium glass of wine served tired, flat, oxidized, too warm, too cold, in an inappropriate stem or in a casual manner)

So often when these pitfalls happen you hear an operator state about their w-b-g selection, “ Our guests won’t buy a glass that’s more than $ 11, that’s our ceiling”……….perhaps the question should be “ Is my service limiting my sales potential ? “ or “ By not deliverying value first, are we limiting our guest appeal and forcing our wine enthusiast guests elsewhere?”

When it comes to the ‘trade-up’ or the ‘Up-sell’ , a wine & Champagne-by-the-glass service is possibly one of the best opportunities to easily add value  and guarantee a great guest experience. With the thirst for knowledge about wine continuing at record levels, the offer to taste and experience a glass of wine in a trusted environment is very enticing, and presents a lucrative profit opportunity for savvy hospitality operators. Implementing this elevated service is easier than you would think and is almost guaranteed to provide an ongoing growth in profits, guest satisfaction and return and retention rates. Wine makes people happy, help your staff create those moments of magic for your guests and the success will come.

Bermar Wine Service Team

To learn more about the Bermar products and services please visit www.BermarAmerica.com or call us at 610-889-4900

Le Verre de Vin Customers Dominate Best Wine List Awards - 'World of Fine Wine'

Greetings From Team Bermar!                                                                                                                               26th August 2014

We are always pleased to share the great successes of innovative wine service, and recently the news was extra special .When the 'World of Fine WIne' published their list of Best Wine Lists, and Best Wine-by-the-glass destinations from a field of 4000 operations around the globe, we noticed something in common with these most skilled of operators.

We noticed that an enormous number of our customers were winners in these recent ‘World Of Fine Wine’ awards. The overall winner is an iconic establishment and a wine lovers dream destination, Palais Coburg Residenz in Vienna came top out of a field of 4000 operations from around the globe, these guys have been proud owners of their Le Verre de Vin system for many years now…

And if our proverbial cups (or in this case glasses) could get no fuller, we were then informed that 3 of the top 4 ‘wine by the glass’ winners were also Le Verre de Vin customers… that’s like supplying engines to Formula 1 teams and finding out your cars have come first, second and third at the Monaco Grand Prix!!

So, who are they? Well first up is the Morrell Wine Bar & Cafe at No1 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City… no surprise here, as these guys are legendary ‘wine by the glass’ trail blazers, who never miss an opportunity to offer their discerning clientele virtually anything they demand ‘by the glass or flute’… Château Lafite, Château Mouton Rothschild, Dom Pérignon, Krug & Château d'Yquem are all regular visitors to the Morrell’s ‘wine by the glass’ menu which often stretches to 100 or more bins. We’re proud to say that Morrell’s have been Le Verre de Vin customers for the best part of 15 years, and also recently were the first New York City restaurant to install the New Le Verre de Vin Tower.

Then we have the uber trendy Sketch, discretely located in London’s Mayfair, one of the capital’s most desirable neighbourhoods. This place has 5 different restaurants & bars all situated in one venue – 2 of which are Michelin-starred! It’s also a regular hangout for Hollywood A-listers and Pop Stars, boasting Will Smith, Jessica Alba & Lily Allen as recent guests. Their ‘wine by the glass’ offering would be best described as quirky but brilliantly put together… and all brought to you courtesy of a Le Verre de Vin system that was installed back in 2004.

Last but not least, we have the wonderful Rockpool Bar & Grill conveniently situated in the shadow of Sydney’s magnificent harbour bridge. Excuse the pun, but in the ‘wine by the glass’ charts, this place really rocks! It’s been a Wine Spectator ‘Grand’ award winner for four years on the trot… and thoroughly spoils its customers with a spectacular selection of over 50 wines ‘by the glass’ which includes a fantastic dessert wine section. Needless to say, Le Verre de Vin underpins their offering, and has done so for a number of years.

If you’d like to check out any of these award winning wine lists for yourself, then be our guest… just click on the links above to the various websites.

Thank you for your time. We wish you every success with your wine service goals and do please let us know if we can be of any help.

Team Bermar

610-889-4900    info@bermaramerica.com      bermaramerica.com 

      

    We know as a savvy wine service professional you are always striving to new levels of wine service, so please take a look at our our new LVDV Tower  & Pod Bar systems  designed to help you elevate your guests' wine experience with the latest in wine service technology.

Find out more at our Website

42 Lloyd Ave Malvern PA 19355

Tel: 1.610.889.4900

Buyer Beware ! - Is your wine-by-the-glass service sending that signal

Really? Is that really the attitude you want any of your guests to take? That they should be wary of what you say and what you offer and what you promise?

When you consider the fact that the 2 biggest-barriers-to-consumption, as reported by the Wine Market Council are; 1) How fresh is the wine, how long has it been open, and 2) Why is the price inflated, why is the glass price near the retail bottle price, it is clear to see what many guests are thinking.

How about “buyer trust”?
How about “buyer confidence” induced by a clear commitment to wine service excellence.

How do you deal with customer disappointment or buyer remorse? How do you deal with today’s more wine savvy guest? When you consider the fact that the majority of guests’ dissatisfaction regarding wine service rarely result in a complaint; you are in a hospitality setting after all. It’s the difference between “tough luck, you should have read the fine print” and “oh no! How can we help?” If people know you will always make it right, they will beware less and trust more.

What do you have to do to create trust in your wine-by-the-glass service ? How much would it cost and how often can you produce it? The investment needed is small, and implementing the “trust inducing” service is easier than you think.

Whatever it costs, it’s a bargain.
Check out www.BermarAmerica.com for more information

Wine by the glass- Upscale your service before Up Selling - If you don't you run the risk of overselling, under delivering and loosing that hospitable feeling

Upscale your service before Up selling – If you don’t, you run the risk of overselling, under delivering, and loosing that hospitality spirit.

We all know the concept of the all important ‘up sell’- Growing our businesses requires us to sell to more customer or sell more to the customers we have, or sell the same quantity but more profitably.  However the customer must have a desire and wants to feel comfortable before he is prepared to spend more. When it comes to wine by the glass, the desire is unquestionably there, a great  2012 wine by the glass program will help you delivery that Up scaled service, which will comfort the guest, meet and exceed their expectations and invite the more profitable Up sell. .

Let’s start with the guests expectation when it comes up-selling wine by the glass. Wine by the glass has become a critical part of the dining experience. Guest expectations are much higher with the basic requirements of choice, quality and value being elevated to unprecedented levels. The guest is ready and yearning to experiment, but he does not want to be sold, he wants to be comforted. He may appreciate suggestions, but he would like to choose from an enticing range of wines that he TRUSTS will be served in perfect condition at a fair price. Your wine by the glass service must exhibit that it will meet or exceed his expectations for him to feel comfortable. He is a guest, he has choices, and that is why the recent trends have been for him to drink better quality wine at home, than when he visits restaurants.

So if you try to up sell without upgrading your offer to meet your guests rising expectations, you will be seen to be over selling a mediocre service, not an ideal way to make your guest feel, and surely not a way to sell more.

So what are the expectations of today’s more wine savvy guest? What comforts and assures the guest so that he may be enticed to trade up.

1)      Wine must be served guaranteed fresh from the bottle.

2)      Wine must be served at the correct serving temperature, for both Red and White.

3)      Wine must be served in an appropriate stem (enough swirl room).

4)      Wine List / Marketing materials, must be readily available for the guest to easily choose. Promote your upgraded service and invite the up-sell, don’t hide your new service and have to push the upsell.

5)      Special Features within the service that promote your new service, comfort the guest and encourage experimentation – Tastes, Wine Flights, Food& Wine Pairings, tasting notes, wine socials, wine dinners, choice of sizes (3oz pours, 5 oz pours, 250ml carafes, 500ml carafes).

6)   Wine must be served with care and diligence to add to the experience.

If you have to sell the up-sell then there is something wrong with you service, gentle suggestive selling is all that should be necessary. Your service should invite the up-sell ! Upgrade your service, promote and suggest your new improved offer and the Up-sell will come.

To find out more about the equipment and ideas needed to upscale your wine by the glass service please visit www.BermarAmerica.com . 

Le Verre de Vin TOWER - Still & Sparkling wine preservation systems

NEW - Le Verre de Vin TOWER - the latest version of the world leading Le Verre de Vin wine preservation technology. A stunning new design that presents the preservation technology in an easy to locate and use configuration, ready to fit into almost any bar. The Le Verre de Vin TOWER has the added advantage of being flexible and upgradeable to a POD BAR by adding and attractive POD countertop refrigerator . More information can be obtained at www.PodBar.co and www. BermarAmerica.com

Worlds Largest Wine Bar - 500 Wines by the glass presented with the new POD BAR

The World's Largest Wine Bar - 500 wines by the glass presented and ready to serve in perfect condition using the stunning new POD BAR wine preservation / wine cabinets. All white wines, red wines and champagnes are presented fresh and at the perfect serving temperature, ready to be proudly poured fresh from the bottle, just as the discerning wine drinker expects.
More information can be seen at www.PodBar.co . Visit and see how easy it is to implement a professional Wine Bar offering from 10 to 500 wines by the glass with the flexible, modular POD BAR.

Simply Elegant – A ‘wine by the glass’ weekend in New York

Even Manhattan longed for a piece of the Royal Wedding pomp and circumstance last month.  While traveling in New York, I stopped in at the Jumeirah Essex House, a Le Verre de Vin user, for a glass of my go-to Malbec, but once inside, I changed my order to a ‘Middleton Mimosa’ from their London Calling specialty menu.  In celebration of the blessed union of Kate & William and the 50^th Anniversary of the Carlton Tower in London, the well known NYC hotel hosted a viewing of the nuptials with a British inspired bill of fare.  

During the ceremony, Kate Middleton exuded royalty in every facet of the event, yet somehow she makes the elite Royal Family accessible and even inviting.  In much the same fashion, Le Verre de Vin, the UK based, patented wine preservation systems, bridges the average wine consumer to an affordable luxury – a glass of wine, served in perfect condition.  Le Verre de Vin is elegant in its simplicity, precisely and effectively preserving an opened bottle of wine for up to 3 weeks in a matter of seconds – under 6 to be exact.  And with the wine perfectly preserved, bars, clubs, and restaurants are able to offer a wider selection of wines by the glass without the risk of ever wasting wine or serving a subpar glass to a guest.  

Another NY icon, Morrell Wine Bar in Rockefeller Center does over 100 wines by the glass with Le Verre de Vin, and their selection is truly remarkable.  They’re constantly updating their wine by the glass offerings and their informed and savvy staff is eager to discuss the characteristics of each of the selections in great detail if you’re struggling with decisions.  I was astounded when Susan, my server, sang the lyrics to a 1994 Weezer song and then rattled off the names, regions, and notes of each of the Rosés that Morrell was offering during my visit.  Talk about making the wine experience approachable.  Morrell Wine Bar embodies the Kate Middleton style of refined charm with its modern stainless steel bar and warm décor.  And with the fabulous people on staff, including sommelier Darren Scott, Morrell Wine Bar is the ultimate destination for wines by the glass served exceptionally well in all aspects.  

My next part of the adventure took me through the Four Seasons hotel, which uses the Le Verre de Vin Barclay Bars in their famous restaurant, The Garden, to keep their wines in impeccable condition for every guest in search of the perfect glass of wine.  With three (3) thirty two (32) bottle capacity Barclay Bars, the Four Seasons New York is able to offer at least 96 wines by the glass, epitomizing hospitality of the finest quality. 

Accessibility is the key to an outstanding wine by the glass program and with increased demand for wines served perfectly, by the glass, no bar, club, or restaurant wants to be left behind the curve.  On Saturday, I took a drive to North Hempstead Country Club in Port Washington, New York.  Gerard Conway, the General Manager had this to say about his recently acquired Le Verre de Vin Pod Bar, “We are now able to move some inventory that we had, because of the display capabilities. Now that members know what we have and that they can try it by the glass, they’re eager to enjoy some higher end wines and we don’t risk wasting any since it can be preserved with Le Verre de Vin.” 

With the recession, we’ve limited the luxurious experiences, but with Le Verre de Vin, guests are able to try that higher end bottle of wine, thereby satisfying their need for a luxury, while remaining within financial reason.  Affordable luxury is the future of wine by the glass service and with 16 new Le Verre de Vin products coming to market in America this month, the United Kingdom is giving us much to talk about these days.  

Le Verre de Vin, invented in the U.K. in 1992, is the only wine preservation system capable of effectively preserving an unlimited number of still, sparkling, and fortified wines. With more than 34,000 installations in 70 countries and numerous accolades, including fully granted patents around the world, Bermar is the recognized industry leader in wine preservation. 

For additional information, contact Victoria Griffis

Bermar America

610.889.4900

victoria.griffis@bermaramerica.com

http://podbar.co/

www.bermaramerica.com

Pod Bar wine by the glass cabinet launch at CMAA 2011 - Resounding Success - Thank you!

With over 80 Pod Bars shipped since the CMAA Club Show in February, the Pod Bar launch in Orlando was a resounding success.  I’d like to extend a sincere thank you to those who have made the investment in their ‘wine by the glass’ service. The feedback from Club Managers who have implemented Le Verre de Vin technology into their clubs, has been outstanding. 

Here’s a taste of the ‘wine by the glass’ best practices, as mentioned by the Club Managers:

• Heightened demand for sparkling wine, served fresh with Le Verre de Vin
• Elimination of waste, therefore control on profits, and the ability to value price premium wines
• Control of oxidation on all opened bottles during slower periods (i.e. Sunday evening through Wednesday)
• Addition of a Bottle Keep service, whereby you’re able to sell a high end bottle to a member and keep the re-sealed bottle for up to 3 weeks, ready for the member to consume as needed
• 10 to 20% increase in sales and profitability, with a larger selection of 'Trade-up' wines available
• Simplicity of use, low maintenance, and high performance preservation in a concise, elegant package designed to merchandise
• Increased membership satisfaction, due to the special service

The Pod Bar as seen at the Club Foundation Auction

In line with the steady advances in Club ‘wine by the glass’ services, Bermar America was invited to the  Club Foundation Auction and was honored to donate a Pod Bar to the event.  The system achieved a generous contribution to the record takings in support of the Club Foundation’s mission of providing educational grants and scholarships that promote the best interests of the club industry. 


Please stay tuned for pictures of some Pod Bar installations and other updates about the dynamic ‘wine by the glass’ service trends. 

If you need more information regarding the New Pod Bar or would like to be referred to Club Managers who have already integrated Le Verre de Vin, please contact me or Victoria at 610.889.4900.  We’d love to discuss which Bermar wine preservation solution best suits your needs and the preferences of your membership. 
 
Victoria Griffis, Bermar America's Marketing Coordinator, demonstrating the Pod Bar at the CMAA Club Foundation Auction in Orlando, Florida

Exciting New Wine by the Glass Service at Boulevard Steakhouse & Fox Hill Country Club, thanks to Le Verre de Vin's Pod Bar

Bermar America today announced release of the Pod Bar, “a wine by the glass cabinet for every business.” The Pod Bar incorporates the very latest version of the ‘Industry Standard’ Le Verre de Vin wine & Champagne preservation technology, enabling operators to offer a truly professional, 21st century ‘wine by the glass’ service.  Richard Hewitt, President of Bermar America explains why the Pod Bar is proving to be so popular with wine service professionals, “the growing demand for higher quality wine by the glass, raises some challenges for today’s restaurants. A 2011 service requires that you not only guarantee freshness, but also serve both your reds and whites at the appropriate serving temperatures.” 

Shane Bradley, General Manager of Fox Hill Country Club in Exeter, Pennsylvania, credits the Pod Bar with increasing the wine by the glass selection and upgrading the quality of wine service at his club.  He states, “With the integration of the Pod Bar, we have been able to launch our new program, whereby any bottle is available by the glass. Our members’ response has been tremendous and our offered number of wines by the glass has grown from 12 to over 40, all served in perfect condition. The increased interest from our members has driven up sales, and proven their desire to trade up to higher priced selections, as long as the quality is guaranteed. The exceptional Le Verre de Vin /  Pod Bar has enabled us do that.” 

Peter Holloway, Owner of Boulevard Steakhouse and Café 501 in Edmond, Oklahoma, recently upgraded to a Pod Bar and had this to report, “With the attractive showcase, it allows the guest to see all the still wines, champagnes, and sparkling wines that we offer in a concise, chic package. We endorse the Le Verre de Vin wine preservation system that is part of the new Pod Bar Package. Our wine by the glass sales have increased by 300% since the system has been in place!"

The Le Verre de Vin patented precision technology controls oxidation for still wines, and re-pressurizes sparkling wines, keeping them fresh for up to 21 days. The system is elegant in its simplicity, allowing restaurateurs time to focus on their guest, and other aspects of the dining experience.  Patrons will appreciate an establishment’s ability to serve wine the way it was intended to be served – hand poured, fresh from the bottle, and with craft.  

Le Verre de Vin, invented in the U.K. in 1992, is the only wine preservation system capable of effectively preserving an unlimited number of still, sparkling, and fortified wines. With more than 34,000 installations in 70 countries and numerous accolades, including fully granted patents around the world, Bermar is the recognized industry leader in wine preservation. 

For additional information, contact Victoria Griffis

Bermar America

610.889.4900

victoria.griffis@bermaramerica.com

http://podbar.co/

The New POD BAR- Stunning Wine Display, Le Verre de Vin Wine Preservation, and temperature contol for reds and white wine by the glass

No need to waste wine anymore. Serve your wine by the glass as the wine maker intended

Hello from Team Bermar

For the last 16 years  we have helped the hospitality industry improve their wine by the glass service by implementing the world leading wine & champagne preservation technology, Le Verre de Vin.  Our technology means that there is no need to ever risk serving an oxidized glass of wine or flat champagne again. Also the millions of dollars of wine wasted each year can be saved and enjoyed as the wine maker intended.

Over the last over the last 20 years our team of engineers and wine experts have extensively researched the subject of wine oxidation and the most effective ways of controlling the quality of opened bottles of wine. We are fortunate to have many of the leading wineries, restaurants and wine experts as our customers, and are only too pleased to share our experience to help food & beverage professionals research the correct preservation systems for their business.

As wine preservation is also a domestic / consumer issue as well as a professional issue for On premise restaurants, there is much confusion about  the performance of domestic grade preservation gadgets and the performance of true commercial grade precision preservation systems and wine dispensers. The purpose of this blog is to provide clarification of the best practices as used by over 34,000 of the leading restaurants in the world and highlight the performance issues, to help people be more informed on this subject. The subject of wine preservation and wine oxidation is surrounded by  many myths and misunderstandings, and our goal is to share our experience and facts we have learnt over the years.

Our range of wine by the glass service solutions, include, Le Verre de Vin, Barclay Bar, Barista Bar and the new Pod Bar. We will providing details of new tips and best practices as Le Verre de Vin's and the new POD BAR are implemented throughout the USA, Canada, Mexico and Central America.

More information can be found at http://www.bermaramerica.com/