Wine Sales Consultant - MAKRO - Montague Gardens

Summary: To Provide appropriate knowledge to all customers, in store as well as external partners and hospitality agencies on all in store wine.

FUNCTIONS / RESPONSIBILITIES:

Customer Service Excellence, advice and information

• Provide professional, friendly and helpful services to customers in the wine department.
• Assist customers with product information in the wine department.
• Display knowledge of where all wine products are merchandised.
• Assist customers with retrieving items off the shelves as needed by the customer.
• Display knowledge of the history of wine, wine food compatibility and pairing, a good palate and nose to distinguish and discern aroma, flavor, character, temperatures, correct serving of wines, and catering quantities etc.
• Knowledge of the wine market- buying and selling.
• Makro BEE Wines- ensure to have tasted each wine, be familiar with ratings, blend, production details of each wine, suggest wine and food pairing, as well as cellaring periods for each wine.
• Be aware of promotions regarding products in the wine department.
• Where wine products have special instructions like storage instructions, temperatures etc. explain such information to customers.
• Answer phone calls directed to wine department to address queries relating to the products.
• Assist customers with complaints and escalate unresolved queries to relevant manager.

Sales

• Achieve wine sales budget and sales growth over previous year on a monthly basis.
• Ensure margin growths are achieved monthly.
• Be aware of daily targets and inform staff accordingly.
• Drive weekend specials and targets for promoters.
• Liaise with top traders and wine club members frequently to boost sales by offering deals etc.
• Grow the wine club group.
• Send overstocks or forward share stocks back to supplier.

Wine ordering

• Ensure orders are sufficient.
• Adhere to the Days Forward Cover at all times.
• Monitor barcoding and pricing errors or problems on wine stocks and report to relevant stock control personnel.

Merchandising and stock rotation

• Ensure correct merchandising principles are implemented.
• Ensure all shelves are packed neatly, in the correct place as per the stipulated layout and store standards.
• Ensure signage is correct for wines.
• Stock rotation management.
• Responsible for a set number of ends- Vineyard Value and stands as per agreement with store manager.
• Responsible for executing Forward Share on relevant ends.
• Ensure signage is requested for ends and change ends on a regular basis.
• Inform manager if stock is low.
• Ensure all shelves and fridges in your department/isle are stocked fully.
• Re-stock shelves if needed.
• Ensure all items and price tags/shelve tickets are in the correct place and that they display the correct information.
• Use the correct tickets/tags for promotion items/discounted items.
• Ensure empty boxes are removed from shelves.
• Ensure stock is packed on shelves so as to be clearly visible and appealing to the customers.

In store wet demos on wines

• Ensure suppliers conduct sufficient wet demos for wines.
• Ensure sufficient stock on hand for demos.
• Instruct promoters where to set up.
• Assess the quality of wine if required.
• Provide feedback on promoter/promotion to supplier.
• Hire and manage promoter/s to conduct wet demos of Makro BEE wines each weekend.

In store wine events

• Organize a minimum of 4 wine events per annum. Eg supplier festivals, weekend festival evening tastings etc.
• Plans to be made at least 2 months in advance per event scheduled.
• Co-ordinate event and management of event including but not limited to booking suppliers, draw up billings, meetings with internal and external stakeholders to ensure efficient and effective progress for festivals, liaison with Head Office regarding planning, invitations, RSVPs, equipment, staff, stock etc.
• Ensure food stalls or entertainment at events are relevant as per the wines at the festival.

Personal Customer Database management

• Create and maintain a categorized email database of personal customers to inform customers on wine specials and events.
• Database to be forwarded to Head Office Marketing Department on a quarterly basis.

Housekeeping

• Ensure clean shelves, fridges and edge rails, isles etc.
• Keep isle clear for customers to walk easily. Stack pallets neatly.
• Remove broken items or damaged stock from shelves. Place damaged goods in the designated area.
• Display safe working habits and ensure products are packed in line with safety standards so as to avoid any unfortunate accidents. Eg Stock to be packed according to correct height.
• Acknowledge that stock may carry weight hence be aware of the co-workers and surroundings when packing shelves.
• Follow cleaning plan to clean shelves accordingly.

Training and events/conferences

• Attend all training related to wine/liquor.
• Attend local wine events and wine consultant’s conferences where possible.
• Ensure one conducts trade visits to competitor stores and provide feedback to store and Head Office.
• Ensure one keeps abreast to current and new trends in the wine market.
• Ensure staff working in the wine department has a basic knowledge of grape varieties, wine production, vintages, wine merchandising and BEE wines.
• Ensure staff are updated regarding out of stocks, new wines and new wineries.

Stakeholder Liaison

• Keep in contact with Vendor Representatives and follow up with Vendor Representatives regularly.
• Follow up and discuss stock on order and any other stock related issues with relevant buyers on a regular basis.
• Provide feedback and discuss any operational stock issues with the relevant Managers or Divisional heads.
• Provide feedback regarding Vendor Representatives to the Liquor Manager/ relevant Manager regularly.

Management of Top Traders

• A top trader list of 200 wine customers to be drawn up, updated and maintained.
• Ensure customer satisfaction by conducting follow ups with customers regarding service, pricing and stock availability etc.
• Document and provide feedback retrieved from customers to Line Manager on a monthly basis.
• Draw up documentation containing monthly spend of all customers and analyses of statistics to be conducted accordingly.
• Identify purchasing trends or patterns and provide such information to Line Management.
• Discuss all or no spend customers with relevant Business Partner.

Shrinkage

• Ensure that shrinkage is maintained below the level of budget set for the store.
• Demonstrate consistent application of internal policies and procedures.
• Escalate identified problems regarding shrinkage to relevant manager or security.
• Report suspicious occurrences or people (staff and customers) to management and security personnel.
• Be aware of high shrinkage and high value items.

Stock counts

• Plan stock takes alongside management according to the National Stock Count Roster.
• Ensure wine counts are broken into smaller BMC’s to ensure a more accurate count.
• Conduct top 20 and bottom 20 after counts.
• Ensure verification counts on all lines above R5000.

Teamwork and Self-Management

• Follow through to ensure that personal quality and productivity standards are consistently and accurately maintained.
• Demonstrate consistent application of group and company procedures and policies.
• Plan and prioritise, demonstrating abilities to manage competing demands.
• Demonstrate abilities to anticipate and manage change.
• Work with the broader core and site HR teams to support the overall HR strategy.

Requirements:

Minimum Academic, Professional Qualifications & Experience required for this position

• Matric/Grade 12.
• Minimum 4-5 years’ experience in the wine industry.
• Extensive knowledge of wines.

Our Values

• Service to the customer.
• Respect for the individual.
• Excellence in all we do.
• Integrity.

Competency Standards

• Live the values.
• Judgment.
• Customer/Member Centered.
• Planning & Improvement.
• Influence and Communicate.
• Adaptability.
• Culture, Diversity & Inclusion.

Functional Competencies

• Communication Skills.
• Strong Administration Skills.
• Planning, Organising and Control.
• Knowledge of Store process.
• The position requires trust and honesty and that entails the handling of cash and/or finances, which includes but is not limited to, the handling, administering, processing and distribution of the Company’s monetary resources such as its stock in trade or merchandise.

Massmart is an equal opportunity employer and encourages all people including people with disabilities to apply for the role. Due to the volume of applications we receive, should you not hear from us within 14 days of your application, kindly consider your application unsuccessful.