Why harvest is hard on customer service
Harvest is the busiest time of the year for winery staff, and it often overlaps with fall club shipments. Phone messages and emails pile up, replies slow down and members with a simple question can wait days for an answer. Left unanswered, a small shipping problem can leave a member frustrated with the club.
Prepare for the questions you know are coming
- When will my shipment arrive, and can I change the date or address?
- Can I swap a wine or customize this shipment?
- My card changed — how do I update it?
- Can I pick up instead of shipping?
- My shipment arrived damaged or too warm. What now?
Write a clear answer to each one before harvest starts, and share it with everyone who might pick up the phone or reply to an email.
Set response times — and keep them
Decide how quickly members should hear back by phone and by email, and make sure someone is responsible for every inbox and voicemail each day. Members are understanding about harvest, but not about silence.
Solve it on the first contact whenever you can. Every follow-up adds work for your team and waiting for your member.
Turn harvest into a reason to connect
Harvest is also the most exciting time to be a member. Share short updates from the vineyard and cellar in your emails, and let whoever answers the phone talk about it. A member who calls about a shipment can hang up feeling closer to your winery.
Get help before you need it
If your team can't cover phones and email through harvest, line up help in July or August. A trained service team that already knows your club, your wines and your policies can answer members in your winery's voice, so your own staff can focus on the harvest.