This summer, we were in the heart of British Columbia’s wine country (if you’re interested, I gave a great amount of detail in mid-August on where we stayed). If you haven’t been…go.
Vacationing in wine country is really like one insanely long customer service experience. How long? I’ll give you some bookends for reference…longer than you’ll wait at Tomato Cafe for food, but shorter than the amount of time it takes Maroon 5 to release new material (not that I bought it in any event).
This, my friends, is right smack in the middle of timinganddelivery.com’s sweet spot. I fired up the t&d machine after we got back and here we go…
This post is the first of many that will take aim (with sniper-like accuracy) on the good, the bad, and the ugly of customer service experiences I encountered in BC’s wine country. I hope you find some useful information in this series of posts as it may save you a lot of time and money (or cause you to spend a lot more). Whichever way you go, enjoy, as always!
We begin our series with the exclusive Blue Mountain Winery in just outside of Oliver, British Columbia in Okanagan Falls. I mean really, how could I not?
I’ll cut to it quickly for you - Blue Mountain Winery reminds me of an uber exclusive New York City night club. Why? Here’s why:
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it’s so exclusive that it’s almost mainstream;
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it’s hard to find;
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it’s not widely promoted/advertised (wines are only available through select restaurants and consumption for the masses is typically consumed by its elite mailing list…yes, I signed up…I’m on the wait list for the list);
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it’s the kind of place that makes you feel lucky you were even allowed in the doors (tasting by appointment only); and
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once you’re in, you are ready to leave shortly thereafter.
Don’t think I’m about to cut Blue Mountain’s product down…I’m not. I’ve tried some of their whites at a friend’s place (yes, they were on the list) and I enjoyed them. They make great wine. In fact, I bought a case of their whites when we were there (we weren’t ‘allowed’ to taste the reds even though they were sitting right in front of us…they weren’t pouring them that day).
So what’s my point? Well, we’re all different (just like the Rubik’s cube is after an hour or so) and we all like different things so, as I do for my other reviews on t&d, we try to steer clear of telling you WHAT to buy or WHERE to go. Instead, I focus on telling you about the experiences I’ve had for your consideration.
What’s the ‘take-away’ from Blue Mountain Vineyard & Cellars Ltd, then? Two things:
- they’ve got a great product; and
- they’ve got a great product and act like they expect you already know it.
So be warned…you’re not going to get a warm n’ fuzzy type of feeling when you walk in the door….and that’s OK (for some). You’re there for a reason…to taste their wine and to try and fandangle your way on to their VIP mailing list (if you so choose).
- There is no great pomp and circumstance when you arrive.
- They don’t make a big deal of you and don’t expect you to make one of them (in my view).
- There are no greeters at the door.
- There are no fabulous take home trinkets to buy and put on your coffee table/kitchen table/night table/bathroom table/someone else’s table.
- There are no tours.
- There are no formal schedules.
- There are countless numbers I’m sure who get turned away.
My favourite memory of this place (not that it was very positive) was when the lady who was pouring for us turned away five very capable and interested customers who happened to ‘pop-in’ without an appointment (I remember one such incident when potential customers were turned away and the fallout…yikes!). ‘Popping-in’ and Blue Mountain doesn’t compute.
In looking back (or in whichever direction you’d like), our esteemed hostess could have more than easily placed five additional glasses on the bar for them to taste (and likely buy). Did she? No. Did she care? Apparently not. Does it matter? I think so…I don’t know if Blue Mountain does.
darren
