If you've had the pleasure of popping by College Park's Digress Wine, then you've likely experienced the genuine hospitality of owners Rob Chase and Brian Kerney. A friendlier pair of vino-isseurs you never will meet, and both have been in the game long enough to know that hospitality counts for everything in nurturing strong customer relationships and building long-term success.
All the more so when you consider Chase and Kerney took over a community mainstay – Cavanaugh's Fine Wines. "It's our biggest asset," says Kerney.
"Great hospitality is that perfect combination of casual comfort, seamless execution and personal connection. It's what leaves the customer feeling better on leaving an establishment than when they entered, and it's critical for return business." And, certainly, customers aren't the only beneficiaries of their magnanimity.
"The most important initiative, and one that's within the control of every restaurant owner, is to foster a culture of gratitude, diversity, and mutual respect for one another," Kerney says.
"That extends to all parties – customers, employees, supplier partners, and our community at large. If we strive to take such good care of our guests, and we know how much can be gained from acting in a positive manner, shouldn't we at least be extending the same amount of care toward ourselves and our colleagues for the benefit of our collective physical health and mental well-being?" Can't argue with that.
