Wine REPublic

REPublic Request: Tech Tricks of the Trade

April 18, 2012

A special request from the REPublic today… I don’t have a letter to submit necessarily but I’d love to see a post about what tools or technology other reps might use to help them organize their workload, schedule and requests. I’ve been seeking an iphone app that would remind me to follow up on specific [...]

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From the REPublic: I get by with a little “help” from my “friends”

April 12, 2012

Eep! This one is definitely being filed under “bitter wine rep”. Kudos to the rep for standing his ground…  Outside the tragedy of a fire though, we put up with the “help” request far too often in my opinion. And we’re forced to make the decision… pony up a few free bottles (illegal in most [...]

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From the REPublic: How Can I Miss You When You Won’t Go Away?

March 9, 2012

Another take on the trade dinner. Winebuyer turns party-crasher? So not cool, man. Note: REPublic posts are reader-submitted. There’s an old Dan Hicks & The Hot Licks’ tune called “How Can I Miss You When You Won’t Go Away?” That was running through my head at one of those Wine Tasting Dinner events at a restaurant [...]

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From the REPublic: Highway Robbery

February 15, 2012

Hoo Boy. Trade events held at accounts can go one of two ways to help or hinder our standing relationships with Winebuyer. It should be all good, right? I mean, we’re showcasing their business… we’re paying them for food or service… but many times there’s a bump or hiccup or a rash misunderstanding of the [...]

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From the REPublic: Go ahead, make my day

January 11, 2012

I secretly love it when a Winebuyer thinks he or she could do my job better than I. Or when they scamper off to try their hand at winemaking because they “know what sells.” Yes, my job probably does look pretty easy, doesn’t it? I just fill a bag with the hundreds of samples I [...]

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From the REPublic: Eyes up here, buddy.

January 4, 2012

I’m no prude, but I’m often times shocked at the number of times I feel like either lowering my head to meet my buyer’s gaze (“hellooo? I’m up here!”) or simply reaching over and bumping his chin up with my fist (gently, people… not like an uppercut).  I know I’m not alone. Over at Wine [...]

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From the REPublic: too many cooks…

December 21, 2011

How timely this letter was. I’ve just been through a very similar experience with a winebuyer/owner/wine rep triangle. It was… Awkward. It’s very rarely a good thing when the boss gets “more involved” in the winebuying decisions if he’s been absent from them previously. Yes, obviously Restaurant Owner has a better grasp on the working [...]

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from the REPublic: human doormat no longer

December 14, 2011

This reader-submission perfectly illustrates the problem with being too nice, with being too available, with being too responsive to our winebuyers with nothing in return. It’s somewhat akin to the first few months of dating, right? We all cringe when we watch our best girl friend run for the phone and answer on the first [...]

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From the REPublic: rule of thumb

December 13, 2011

This guy promises more to come, and I hope he follows through. These first two rules of engagement are spot-on for those of us who have to trawl for sales in the liquor store sector. Related side note: Almost any time I give someone a ride who is outside the industry, I get this question: [...]

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from the REPublic: sorry to have been on time…

December 12, 2011

We can blame the winebuyer for allowing the below submitted story to happen, but I have to admit… I always wonder how some reps do it: The incessant small-talk at the end of each appointment while another wine rep breathes down your neck. One rep in particular, every single TIME I’m behind him in an [...]

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