Latest posts by Martin Moodie (see all)
- How I overcame Severe Tire Damage to become the oldest influencer in town - April 20, 2024
- Free as a (Kiwi) bird and flying high in Haikou - April 13, 2024
- Discovering Food Accademia’s world of fine flavours at a Hong Kong cha chaan teng - April 6, 2024
What a delightful customer experience I had at World Duty Free’s main Heathrow Airport Terminal 4 store today. I’m en route to Moscow to meet the dynamic Regstaer team (and to attend the retailer’s annual party).
I decided I would buy a couple of bottles of good New Zealand red wine to take for my hosts in Russia and duly sought out the wine department. Now it’s not the biggest airport wine offer in the world, that’s for sure, so the Kiwi offer was limited. But I found what I was looking for, a Central Otago Pinot Noir, in this case Matua Lands & Legends from Treasury Wine Estates (£19.99).
As soon as I had picked up a bottle to peruse it, a World Duty Free staff member came over to me. “Can I help you?” she said with a smile. “Yes, I’m going to take two of these,” I replied, reaching for two bottles.
“No, let me carry them for you,” she said. And she did, over to the cashpoint.
“Can I see your boarding card please.”
“Certainly.”
“Is Moscow your final destination?” she asked, correctly checking whether I would be transiting.
I asked her name. It was Adriana. She was from Romania, Transylvania to be more precise. I told her it was my ambition to visit there one day (it is – a Romanian Uber driver once spent an entire trip extolling its virtues to me).
As we talked and completed the transaction, a young Malaysian woman approached the counter and asked, not Adriana but me for advice. “What kind of New Zealand wine do you recommend?” she asked.
“Pinot Noir,” I replied. “Ideally from Central Otago or Martinborough though Marlborough can also be very good.” I suggested the Matua Lands & Legends, while Adriana looked on with a bemused smile.
I asked the Malaysian woman to take a photo of me and Adriana (and my purchase). She willingly obliged. And then I took a photo of the two of them and bade farewell.
Two happy customers. Two good spends. One lovely salesperson. What a difference good people make. Thank you, Adriana.
