Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/70680
MARKETING COMPANY PHONE Personnel Services WEBSITE Alkar Human Resources (707) 224-5468 1alkar.com Benchmark Consulting (707) 933-1500 benchmarkhr.com Paul Herbert Recruiting (206) 903-0780 Personnel Perspective WISE Academy - Wine Industry Sales Education (877) 740-9473 education.com For more on personnel services, see Wines & Vines' 2011 Buyer's Guide in print or online at winesandvinesbuyersguide.com. industry is very cultured. "Candidates must be driven, compassionate and passionate about the industry in general. They have to be able to deliver a cultural experience. Pas- sion counts most. Without passion, people are only half committed to the experience." Dawn Wofford of Benchmark Consult- ing specializes in the staffing needs of boutique wineries with production levels of 200,000 cases and below. She suggests seeking out CRM-related candidates who have a hospitality management back- ground. This includes not only winery experience but restaurant or event coordi- nation as well. A candidate who has built a wine club is of extra value. "People who have experience in building a buying wine club are special. They know how to keep the top 50 customers buying." Wofford adds that not only does a CRM hat wearer have to recognize who their top 50 customers are, they must know how to gather data and effectively use it. Wofford said that some of her clients have requested that candidates be familiar with CRM-related DtC programs such as Advanced Management Systems (AMS) and eWinery Solutions. "Candi- dates must be technology savvy enough to pull data and reports while at the same time be able to access and manipulate the winery website. So writing skills are important, too." Not surprisingly, social media familiarity is crucial as well. D D D (707) 576-7653 personnelperspective.com D wineindustrysales D D D Education solutions Though there are currently no course offerings specifically geared toward CRM, the courses listed below cover DtC sales and, in most cases, touch on CRM techniques. Not only are courses infor- mative and helpful in upping your DtC game, they can be good opportunities to network and share experiences with other like-minded individuals in the wine indus- try. Check course listings for times, dates and further details. UC Davis, Davis, Calif.: Public Rela- tions for Small Wineries. Details: exten- sion.ucdavis.edu/winemaking. WISE Academy, Napa, Calif.: Data Ana- lyst Professional. $400 for two eight-hour sessions. DtC Metrics Intensive, executive level, $750 for one eight-hour session. Details: wineindustrysaleseducation.com. Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, Calif.: Selling through the tasting room, $150 for a four-hour seminar. Details: sonoma.edu/sbe/wine-business-institute. Brock Cool Climate Oenology & Viticulture Institute, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. CAD$175 for a one- night-per-week, nine-week course. Certifi- cation program in wine sales and service. Spring 2012. Details: brocku.ca/ccovi. ACCELERATING CAREERS, RAISING STANDARDS. The WISE Academy is the only wine industry education, training and certification program dedicated solely to direct-to-consumer sales and marketing. WISE offers comprehensive instruction for every level, from new employee to CEO. wineindustrysaleseducation.com 877-740-WISE (9473) 54 Wines & Vines MAY 201 1 RECRUITING TRAINING