The hospitality sector in New Zealand was, without question, one of the hardest hit by the Covid-19 crisis. As a supplier to that industry we certainly felt the knock-on effect.
And while the majarity of our wine is sold direct to consumers, the pandemic definitely affected consumer behaviour: Discretionary spending all but dried up, and spending patterns changed dramatically.
New Zealanders are still dining out less often. and are more intentional about where they dine. They are also entertaining more at home in comparison to pre-Covid.
This presents us with a marvellous new set of opportunities.
We have had to reimagine what our customers are looking for, and rethink how we operate to regularly engage with them in a way that builds and maintains trust in our tiny brand.
Staying Covid-19 Aware
Despite life being very much back to normal here on the vineyard, we cannot afford to be complacent.
We began our post-Covid reset by really listening to our customers’ feedback. What we realised was that our loyal customers are at the heart of Fancrest Estate, and we needed to reward and build on that loyalty. Hence the launch of our new Loyalty Programme.
We’re also working on staying connected with our customers across a variety of communication channels (ie social media, email, website) to help enhance confidence, trust and loyalty.
Opening up all the channels
While we have had a low-key digital presence for years, Covid-19 has frog-marched us into the digital era. We certainly recognise that we need to pay greater attention to our customers by engaging and interacting with them more online.
Our commitment is to stay connected with our customers by being more active on social media – to share content, engage with them, reply to comments and private messages. We’re allocating time to post new content online.
Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing.
Ian has welcomed the opportunity to develop his interest in food, wine and health through our Instagram feed, and I will be posting a regular vlog on Instagram and Facebook focussing more on the vineyard.
This new and improved website is the first evidence of our investment in a well-organized, functional platform that is updated regularly so customers can have a seamless digital experience.
Covid Tsunami – Aftermath
The Covid-19 crisis upended our lives at lightning speed, and the wine industry did not escape unscathed. We have had to rethink how we operate to recover and thrive.
Our resilience and capacity to adapt, innovate and change, by invest time and energy in our digital presence will better prepare us for whatever the ‘new future’ holds.
