Simple Ways to Help Your Customers Spend More Money

Customers come to your place of business for a number of reasons, but mainly because you have some product or service that they need and are willing to pay for it. When someone walks through the door, there are a number of opportunities to make the customer aware of what you have to offer. Unfortunately, you can miss sales opportunities because your customers don’t know what you have for sale, that you want them to buy, or that you care about supplying their needs.

I recently attended a luncheon at a local winery. They have a beautiful setting in the country amid acres of vineyards. An old warehouse was converted into the restaurant and tasting room, with one internal glass wall revealing the wine making operations and holding tanks. An outside seating area with two bubbling fountains, tables and fire pit enjoy a 180-degree view of the vineyards and the garden that supply fresh vegetables and herbs for the kitchen and the quinces for their special quince preserves. Lots of glass walls bring the outside into the restaurant.

They had made an exception for our group and agreed to serve lunch even though they don’t serve lunch on Saturdays. We knew that because the server reminded us that several times but not in a way that made us feel welcome. Instead, we got the feeling that we were more of an intrusion to their routine instead of unexpected business. We were supposed to have a wine tasting before lunch, but they brought out our salads before we were invited up to the wine bar. Once there, it was crowded with not enough glasses for everyone and little explanation of the wines themselves. As a result, wine sales were few. The salads were good, but the potato soup was lukewarm and uneventful. We all got a copy of their dinner menu (not available for lunch) but were offered no choices for lunch. The sub sandwich was fresh, but not what we expected. Water glasses were not refilled promptly, and you could only buy wine by the bottle. No chance to sip a glass of wine with the food to prompt additional sales.

We had been told by one of our group that they made a signature quince preserves, but there was no sample of that delicacy in the tasting room or served with the bread during our meal. In fact, the jars of the jam were stacked up against a wall partially behind the wine bar, out of sight and difficult to reach. Had they served the jam with lunch or had a more accessible display, they may have sold some to the 11 ladies that had come for lunch.

While we enjoyed the atmosphere and the wine tasting, a welcome from the owner, a brief history of the winery and a brief tour would have been gracious and informative. I found out later that the chef came out to our table and poured the bottle of wine that I purchased, but no one knew it because he didn’t introduce himself to the group or give a welcome.

We left to explore the nearby town, but I don’t think that anyone would make the hour drive to the winery again for dinner. More welcoming service and information about what products they had to offer would have encouraged us to spend more money, leave with a warm and welcome feeling, and come back to spend again.

Mary Nestor-Harper, SPHR, is a freelance writer, blogger, and consultant. Based in Savannah, GA, her work has appeared in "Training" magazine, "Training & Development" magazine, "Supervision," "Pulse" and "The Savannah Morning News." You can read her blogs at www.skirt.com/savannahchick, www.workingsmartworks.blogspot.com/ and on the web at www.mjnhconsulting.com.