The power of buying wine and the politics of managing a beverage program make for odd business relationships. Sometimes these relationships can become contentious. Eleven years managing a complex on-premise wine account has caused me to realize that a partnership based on mutual benefit for my employer and my suppliers is the best outcome. Buying wine for a large property such as Four Seasons Resort and Club (my employer), or any establishment, is about finding “the best” for my guests and my employer. This keeps the guests returning and the hotel or restaurant profitable. A good working relationship with suppliers is key to making this happen. In order to fulfill this goal, and to help supplier account representatives understand my expectations of both them and myself, I developed two lists: a wish list for reps; and a list of promises from me. I can’t say that I abide by all of these promises all of the time. However, I do my best to make certain that the standard I set for myself is always considered when engaging with suppliers. I still hear of buyers who threaten reps with banishment from a restaurant if unreasonable demands or concessions are not met. But I do believe that such practices are diminishing as the sommelier position is increasingly accepted as a business profession. I hope these lists will spur you to consider your relationships with your suppliers, and how we all might improve the image of our profession through our interactions with business associates.
Fantastic. You are a salesman's dream customer. If only I could turn this around and give it to all my customers esp. those who are new to the job of buying/managing. You make a number of salient points about how a sales rep should conduct business. With the pressure to perform such a large part of what we do, there are often times when we feel the need to move the boxes instead of understanding the customers business and working to offer the products that best fit their needs. I agree that offering items that fit the program works to build a longer-lasting, trusting relationship between buyer and seller. As a sales rep, I could amend this to make similar commitments to my buyers. Thank you for sharing this very well-thought out piece.