Make Your Hospitality Better by Visiting Other Wineries
It's time for you to schedule a field trip
I recently took a research and development (R&D) field trip up to Paso Robles. I wanted to see how other wineries and wine regions approach hospitality and how their hospitality programs translate into marketing before and after the visit.
In the new year, I plan to make these R&D trips a regular part of my schedule—ideally quarterly, if not monthly. It’s about experiencing, learning, and gathering inspiration for the hospitality training program I’m developing (she teases, ever so subtly).
If you own a winery, manage a tasting room, or work on a hospitality team, making time for these kinds of field trips can provide valuable insights into elevating your guest experience.
Why Take an R&D Day?
Visiting other wineries allows you to:
Observe Hospitality Practices: From greeting guests to wine service, you’ll notice the small details that make a big difference.
Gather Inspiration: Find out what’s working for others and adapt those ideas to fit your brand.
Benchmark Your Own Practices: Compare your experience to theirs and identify areas for improvement in your hospitality program.
Experience Being a Guest: Taking a step back to see the process from a customer’s perspective is a great way to reconnect and empathize with your own customers.
Evaluate Marketing Integration: Learn how other wineries integrate their hospitality efforts with their marketing before, during, and after a guest’s visit.
How to Approach an R&D Day
Here’s how to make the most of your R&D field trip:
1. Secret Shop (If You Can)
Ideally, you’ll visit without letting the winery know you’re in the industry. This allows you to experience the tasting as a typical customer would. However, for those of us who live our lives on the internet or are potentially well-known in the wine industry, this can be a challenge (we wine industry folks LOVE to roll out the red carpet for fellow industry nerds; bless us). Still try to observe the "standard" guest experience as objectively as you can. If I’m visiting a winery where I might be known for being in the wine industry, I request that they go about their tasting as if I’m a pleb (albeit a very nerdy pleb).
2. Pay Attention to the Details
Ask yourself:
What are the vibes? How does the tasting room feel overall? What’s the mood created by the decor, music, and layout?
What’s the physical experience like? Are the chairs comfortable? Are the bathrooms clean and inviting? What type of glassware are they using—stemmed or non-stemmed; and how does that affect your experience?
What is the service style? Is it a belly-up-to-the-bar tasting or a seated experience? How does the staff interact with guests? How long did it take to be greeted and how did that make you feel?
As I said before, try to be objective. This isn’t a time for judging, it’s a time for observing.
3. Support the Wineries You Visit
If you’re in the industry and they give you a free tasting and/or discount, buy wine. It’s a gesture of goodwill and respect for their time. And if you can, leave a tip for the team.
What Should Wineries Look For During Their Own R&D Days?
If you’re a winery considering your own R&D day, here are some key areas to focus on:
Guest Journey: From the initial welcome to the farewell, observe how each step of the guest journey is handled.
Personalization: Note how staff tailor the experience for each guest. Are they asking thoughtful questions? Making tailored recommendations?
Memorability: What made the visit stand out? Did the winery do anything unique that left a lasting impression?
Accessibility: Consider how approachable and inclusive the experience is for a wide range of guests.
Takeaways: Look at the physical (wine purchased, information provided) and emotional (memories, connections) takeaways from the experience.
I’ll share my takeaways from my own R&D day in a future post, but for now I’d love to know if you’re planning a field trip or if you’ve done an R&D day in the past. Tell me about your experiences and what you’ve learned!
Share your thoughts in the comments or tag me on Instagram with your takeaways!