Nick Fede Jr., Executive Director, Rhode Island Liquor Operators Collaborative.

By Nick Fede Jr., Executive Director, Rhode Island Liquor Operators Collaborative

The holiday season is the Super Bowl of beverage alcohol retail. From Thanksgiving through New Year’s, our customers are shopping for family gatherings, dinner parties, corporate gifts, hostess gifts, New Year’s celebrations and, quite simply, something special to enjoy at home.

For Rhode Island’s wine and liquor retailers, this is one of the most important stretches of the year. But success during the holidays is about more than having a full inventory. It is about preparation, presentation and, most importantly, customer service. The first strategy is simple.

Know your customer and make shopping easier.
During the holidays, customers walk through our doors with very different needs. Some know exactly what they want. Others are looking for a $20 bottle of wine to bring to dinner, a special bottle for a longtime friend or a gift for someone whose tastes they don’t know. Our employees can make that experience easier by asking a few simple questions: What are you serving? What is your budget? Are you looking for something familiar or something new? That conversation can turn a transaction into an experience.

Wine deserves particular attention during the holidays. Retailers should make sure wines are easy to shop by price point, varietal, region or occasion. A customer who is overwhelmed by hundreds of bottles is less likely to make a confident purchase. Simple signage and thoughtful displays can help answer questions before the customer even asks.

The same is true in the spirits category. The continued interest in cocktails and premium spirits gives retailers an opportunity to introduce customers to products they may not have considered. A bottle of bourbon, tequila or gin can become much more than a bottle on a shelf when we explain how it can be used. Cocktail recipes, food-pairing suggestions and staff recommendations can create additional sales while providing something valuable to the customer: information.

Education is one of the best customer-service tools we have.
Our customers increasingly want to understand what they are buying. They want to discover something new, but they also want reassurance that their purchase is going to be well received. A knowledgeable employee can make that difference.

Holiday merchandising should also tell a story. Create displays around occasions rather than simply putting products on sale. Consider themes such as “Holiday Dinner,” “Hostess Gifts,” “Under $25,” “Celebration Bottles” or “New Year’s Favorites.” These displays help customers shop with a purpose and can encourage them to purchase products they may not have otherwise considered.

Of course, preparation behind the scenes is just as important. Review inventory early. Identify products that consistently sell during the holidays and make sure you have enough of them. At the same time, leave room for new and interesting products that can give your regular customers a reason to explore.

Staffing is another critical piece. The busiest days are not the time to begin training employees on customer service. Your team should understand your store, your key products and your expectations before the holiday rush arrives. A friendly greeting, eye contact and a willingness to help can be more valuable than any sale sign.

We should also remember that the holiday season can be stressful for everyone. Customers are busy, employees are working hard and the store can become crowded. That is exactly when patience and professionalism matter most. A customer may not remember the exact bottle they purchased, but they will remember whether someone took the time to help them.

Ultimately, the holiday season is an opportunity to remind our communities why local liquor stores matter. We are not simply places where people purchase wine and spirits. We are neighborhood businesses staffed by people who know their customers, understand their communities and can provide personal service that a large, impersonal shopping experience cannot always match.

If we prepare our stores, educate our employees, merchandise intelligently and put the customer first, we can make this holiday season a successful one — not just in sales, but in building relationships that last well beyond New Year’s Eve.

That, after all, is what good retail is all about.

Contact riliquoroperatorscollaborative@gmail.com to get involved.

Nick Fede Jr. serves as RILOC’s Executive Director, and the American Beverage Licensees President, and is a third-generation liquor retailer.