Nice story, Tom. Glad you enjoyed the gift. Tablas Creek makes some nice wines.
I think using the word “gift” is problematic. I like to think of these things as “surprises” or " thoughtful reminders" or whatever you think works. The winery took time and effort to recognize their loyal customers. As an eternal cynic I find it very difficult to be cynical about small outfits such as boutique wineries sending out these sorts of things to their consumers. I sincerely doubt anyone is actually charging more money to make these happen either.
None of this should be required for a winery to be looked upon favorably. As noted above, these businesses certainly have other ways of showing their best side. But it’s certainly nice to notice someone noticing you. Someone is taking some time to do something a bit extra for people paying them money. That’s what you often get with family run businesses. Things that used to be more common than they are in our current consumerist, corporate centered economy.
There’s that, and the fact that it’s pure speculation. How does any one of us know that some other customer isn’t plussed by the gesture enough to stay a customer when they might not were there to be no personal connection aand bottles with prices reduced a quarter. Wine patronage is personal for some people and we see that communicated here. Especially when we can put a face or a particular name behind a brand. Businesses make personal gestures all the time as an alternative to lower prices. It might not be preferable to a small price reduction to some people, but it works with others. I do it in my business. In this case the better question is whether Tablas Creek is LOSING customers because their prices aren’t a quarter less?
My intent wasn’t to be a grinch. I actually don’t really understand what the OP’s gift was. What is a “tablet” calendar, and do you plan to use it? I get winery stationary year round, especially from Harlan. I haven’t purchased their wine in ages and it immediately sees the trash can.
I think the most thoughtful gift from a winery is when they invite you (or turn your tasting appointment into) to visit and treat you like a guest in their home with barrel samples, maybe a wine decanted before arriving, maybe a vineyard tour, etc. To me that’s going an extra mile and a great personal gesture.
I guess my point is that there are various things that represent a potential expense and thus might allow for a simple reduction in price, that people prefer to simply having a slightly lower-price. Different people value different things differently, especially when it comes to something that feels like a personal touch. Being greeted or hosted at the winery is indeed nice and just one type of alternative gesture. I think in general those type of gestures DO communicate a connection between the seller and the buyer, and in doing so might give one the belief that the relationship is generalizable to various beneficial behaviors.
The gift was a wooden stand (2"x2"x6") made from a Fr.oak barrel stave, with the TCV logo burnt into the front of it.
The block has a slot in the length of it. With it came a set of 6 calendar tablets, about 6"x8", a different month on each side.
Not only the calendar on each one, but an attractive drawing of a grapevine in its state of growth for that month. Plus a
list of special events in the TCV history over the yrs going back to 1549. Not a practical calendar that you can write things on,
but one you can set on your desk and gaze upon it and allow great/warm thoughts of TCV to course thru your body. But clearly a gift that someone
put some thought into.
I’ll try to get a pic this afternoon.
Tom
Well if the company was Facebook, perhaps their ‘personal touch’ would be tracking the daylights out of you and selling your personal information to ‘personalize’ the experience. Getting a wooden plaque of a calendar strikes me as better than that.
Anytime you get recognized for your patronage and support by a business is called good customer service. Whether that be a Christmas card, birthday card, calendar, wooden holder, or a free cheese plate at a tasting. The wine industry is so competitive that whatever a small or boutique winery can do to get your business instead of you buying wine from a large distributor is worth it to them. Now that being said, it should not be the reason you purchase their wines or stay a club member. The bottom line should always be how much you like their wines.
My wife and I make Christmas cookies every year and give them out to a select group of friends and business people. It really isn’t a valuable gift, or something that someone can’t themselves buy an alternative to, but it really has an impact. I often do six-digit projects for people, and the tray of cookies and a Christmas card seem to have a much more positive impact than me simply discounting their bill by $50. People want to think that they make a personal connection with those whom they do business with, that it isn’t all about dollars and cents. Especially in a field where there is some artisanal allure like wine. The gift discussed here seems both personal and artisanal.
Further proof (as if we needed it) that there is nothing that can’t be argued about on WineBerserkers.
Fellow readers: my objection is not to the gesture made by the winery, nor by the appreciation Tom experienced when he received his gift. That is not it at all.
But as someone else pointed out, Tom’s original post title conveys the wrong impression. “Getting it,” as in customer service, does not include gifts. The second part of the original title post, the “Some don’t” (get it) is what is off…way off… here. Because EMH or other wineries do not send handwritten notes or gifts (late for Christmas or not) is clearly not proof that we do not value customer service. What Tom is talking about is an extra expression of thanks for customer loyalty, and extended as a gift…a reminder that the customer is important.
I have been known to swap out a less expensive wine for a more expensive wine, or one that is rarely available, at my expense. As a show of appreciation to a loyal customer. Or send 2 bottles instead of one as a replacement for an off wine. This is what I do, and to say or infer that some of us wineries who handle things in a different way “do not get it,” is offensive.
This is a really controversial post and you’re attacking the rest of us by not saying anything nice about us, the same for the wineries you intentionally chose not to compliment. Some posters get it…and some don’t .
Endlessly argued about to no end.
Can’t wait for Part 28! 
Tom has acknowledged some appreciation for my and others’ points of view. I do not think this is a hostile thread. It is about the words we choose (and the connotations therein) that create “discussion.”
I would settle for Tom’s retraction of an inadvisable thread title in exchange for him adhering to conventional punctuation norms. Drives me (as an English major) nuts. But Tom and I are not at war. Two strong personalities expressing their views. No name-calling nor cursing. Isn’t that what this “discussion” forum is all about?
Merrill,
Seeing that you and I are the only wineries that have commented on this thread, I am reading thing totally differently than you. I don’t think that Tom is implying that you need to do ANYTHING SPECIAL for your customers - but that you just need to communicate.
I can’t tell you how many consumers reach out to me and ‘complain’ about other wineries who never respond to emails, who never reply to voice mail messages, etc. And my guess is that Tom has experienced this as well - and probably moreso than most.
I think it’s cool that Tablas does this - as I’ve stated above, I do not think it’s a ‘cost’ issue whatsoever - they are simply sharing their passion for what they do above and beyond what’s in the bottle. Should this be ‘expected’? No - at least I hope not. I do think that this should be ‘expected’ - which makes it that much more special when it does happen.
Merrill - your customers seem to really like you so obviously you are doing lots of things right - and I certainly would be happy and satisfied with that if I were you.
Cheers.
![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
true dat, Alex. The gifts are nothing expensive and, given the production level of TCV, they might be able to reduce the price by, maybe, 5 cents a btl and keep the same profit margin. I suppose that ‘d make a difference to some folks. Probably not me, though.
Tom
Took the words out of my mouth Tom. but I would go so far as to say 50 cents wouldn’t change my buying habits ( that’s probably more than it cost the bottom line).
Too bad small producers feel unloved because they don’t (yet) have the margins to do things like this.
WGJ
I think that’s exactly what he was suggesting. We’re not operating in a vacuum here; he has done this before. In Some Wineries Get It...and Some Are Clueless/Rant #271 - WINE TALK - WineBerserkers, for example, he lists three examples of wineries that “get it,” by sending a free magnum and/or handwritten notes. The others are “clueless.” So, yes, regular solid customer service isn’t good enough for Tom. He needs a cookie too.
Let’s give the man a bone while we’re at it! 
Clearly the wineries that don’t send free stuff don’t get it.