Friday, January 07, 2011

Our Phone Policy

In the trade magazines we get there have been lots of articles about direct marketing to your customers via the phone. It's the latest greatest craze. All the articles say that bigger wineries should even have a full time person who calls customers to make special offers, tell them about new releases and offer wine at discounts. These articles say smaller wineries should call as well and dedicate time to the effort.

Many of the wine boards have had discussions about wineries that have called them. Usually the call is about some sort of discount or special offer. Normally the tone of these discussions is that the wineries must be desperate to make a sale. From what I've read though it's just the start of a new trend of direct marketing.

We're not going to participate in this trend. We promise.

We do ask for a phone number when people sign up. We do that because UPS and GSO ask for a phone number when we ship. In case someone has forgotten to include it on their order form we can fill the info in without bothering them.

We have also used that sign up number a couple of times to call people when we had a question about an order they've placed. Usually we will try email first, but once or twice we've had to call. The only other time I can recall us using a phone number is when we've been going out to dinner with someone, either them visiting San Jose, or us visiting them and we've needed to call to coordinate plans.

That's it, that's the only time we'll use your phone number.

We also will never sell any information, emails, phone numbers, nothing to third parties. We have been contacted in the past with interest in buying our mailing list, and I've flat out refused to consider it. That also will never change.

We do love it though if you email us, or call, and especially when you come visit. Don't stop that please!

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