Oracle Retail Week Awards: Majestic Wine's social media success

For some businesses, social media is a channel in which to tread carefully or, worse still, to fear. Yet for more progressive retailers, Facebook, Twitter and similar can provide the ultimate forum for direct customer engagement - and nowhere is that better demonstrated than at Majestic Wine.

Over the past 12 months, the retailer has developed web pages, Facebook and Twitter accounts for each of its 190-plus UK stores and handed over control of individual store communications to shop managers and staff.

Whereas previously Majestic’s social media communications were managed by a central team in head office, now each store is responsible for publishing its own content, which can range from news alerts and recommendations to dates of in-store events and discussions about what’s on the tasting counter. The aim is to empower store teams to engage directly with customers and communities.

The initiative is part of Majestic Wine’s commitment to operating a truly multichannel retail business and is a strong example of a successful integration of the bricks-and-mortar and web experiences.

Majestic says that the move to store-based communications did not happen overnight: it was the result of a gradual process which began in 2011 with the training of store managers and continues with weekly updates to stores via staff memos, including a round-up of trending themes, ideas, upcoming events and competitions.

Majestic’s online community advocate, based in central office, is on-hand should store teams have issues or queries, and the ecommerce team continually monitors social media output to ensure that the initiative’s aims are met and the content is appropriate, engaging and creative.

The decision to place responsibility for managing customer relationships directly in the hands of store teams was praised by the judges for being both clever and bold. “It’s really brave to let your individual store teams communicate directly with the consumer via social media,” says one judge. Another describes the initiative as “innovative and really smart”.

Majestic says the aim of the initiative is to enhance relationships, engage with customers and local communities, build brand visibility and encourage first-time and repeat custom. By giving wine lovers the ability to reach out to knowledgeable staff without leaving their homes, Majestic saw an opportunity to increase loyalty and make return custom more likely.

The strategy appears to be working. Since the initiative launched, both total sales and average spend per bottle have increased while the total number of people following Majestic stores on Facebook has increased fivefold.

At the heart of the initiative is faith in the ability of employees to develop customer relationships by publishing relevant, insightful content. The retailer points to its recruitment of bright young graduates, who have achieved Wine & Spirit Education Trust qualifications, as evidence of its people investment. Those judges with experience of shopping at Majestic praised the staff’s knowledge and professionalism.

Employees regularly attend product information sessions and supplier tastings to develop their knowledge of the products they sell. They also benefit from wine dinners and trips abroad.

Having the ability to forge relationships with local communities is particularly important for Majestic Wine as it continues its expansion. The retailer has recently opened its first outlets in Cornwall and on the Isle of Wight.