We have a no quibbles returns policy here in On the Grapevine - if a bottle is faulty, we will replace it without question. People don't take the piss with this policy, generally if they bring back a bottle, there is something wrong with it.
Occasionally though, a bottle is returned with nothing wrong with it. Recently we have had an expensive bottle of white Burgundy and an expensive bottle of red Bordeaux returned (by 2 different customers). In both cases, we replaced the bottles and, when we tried them later, both allegedly faulty wines were perfect. This gives us something nice to drink that evening, but these replacements cost us money.
Personally, I think it is worth it as the customer leaves the shop happy (always our first priority) and, as I mentioned, the policy is not abused. Or should I taste with the customer and try to educate?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
4 comments:
I used to have a real problem with Chateau Musar. They bottle direct from the barrel and this leads to great variation from one bottle to the next! Sometimes a customer would buy two bottles and con vince himself (it was always a Him)that there was something wrong with one of the bottles. Trouble was he never knew which one one. As he'd already drunk the first he'd bring back (the dregs of) the second. Often the dregs were fantastic as a day had passed since the bottle had been opened. Couldn't educate against it so just enjoyed the dregs.
No Quibble: Best Policy.
Yes, I think so as well, the punter must leave the shop happy and, as you say, you can always enjoy the dregs...
In this case I would like to be educated.
Just last week I had a bottle which I was convinced was corked/tainted. As I was abroad and a couple of miles from the point of sale I just left it a day and re-tasted it (it still tasted off) however I would have loved to be able to confirm that it was indeed corked.
Murray, this is the dilemma, some people will see it as education, others will see it as condescention or worse. It's a fine line, maybe judgement needs to be made on a case by case basis.
If your wine was corked, it would be even worse the next day...
Post a Comment