Several Months ago I wrote an article about two of my favourite suppliers to work with, Phillips Brewery and Oughtred Coffee & Tea. When I originally drafted the piece there were actually three companies included, but due to the fact that company #3 had only started doing business with us a few weeks previous, even though I was overjoyed with their services to that point, I decided to stick with just the two. It is with great pleasure that I now adjust their earlier omission.
Two weeks ago Shelley and Greg from Draught Wise finished completely overhauling our draught beer system at Sauce. From my very first meeting with Shelley I knew I had stumbled upon something special. While we have always had our lines professionally cleaned, I approached Draught Wise because I was concerned with some possible inefficiencies regarding the amount of product we were wasting. I had also never been overly pleased with previous company. My phone calls often went unanswered, and when a human did respond, it was often of this painful variety:
“Hello? Huh? Who is this? Foss? How do you spell that?”
“SAUCE!!!!!!!”
Enter Draught Wise
Needless to say, simply meeting the most basic of expectations would have put any new company in my good books. Well apparently that just isn’t how Draught Wise operates. In the past four months their absolute and complete dedication to customer service has repeatedly blown me away. If ever there was a company that cares, Draught Wise is it. It should also be pointed out that I’m far from the only business that feels this way. Every restaurant or bar I’ve discussed them with has had a similar response…..”Wow.”
I love passion. To me, a telltale sign of passion is when someone simply finds it impossible to stop talking about their particular craft; not themselves, but their craft. Seeking that particular trait has led me to some of my most cherished consultants and suppliers; Shawn from Clives, Janice from House Made, Rayna from Quench Wines, and now Greg and Shelley. I’ve learned more about draught equipment and procedures in the last few months than in the previous 13 years; they literally can’t stop themselves from spewing out information.
Customer Service at its Best
While their incredible knowledge and capabilities are fantastic, it’s their customer service that puts them in a league of their own. While it was previously difficult for me to gain my technician’s attention when all hell had broken loose, with Draughtwise it’s as if they can sense a beer pouring poorly from across the city. Immediately available, always energetic and upbeat, and with seemingly no goal other than to ensure our beer pours perfectly every time, Jeff and Shelley could teach a course in epic customer service. Any problem I present them with (which isn’t often because they usually notice things before I do) is immediately dealt with to completion with no further attention from me required.
A Complete Transformation
For years we’ve dedicated ourselves to serving quality, local beers on tap. I am now proud to say that we have the perfect system for serving these delicious brews. Draught Wise has replaced every inch of our beer lines and configured our system on a line by line basis. This means that each beer is configured separately to the exact specifications suggested by the brewery themselves. Draught Wise works together with breweries, restaurants, bars, and pubs to ensure the beer you drink tastes exactly as the brewmaster intended.
My Staff LOVE Them.
As if all that wasn’t enough, they have also become some of my most faithful and dedicated customers. Constantly checking in to sample the feature sheet or make sure the pints are pouring perfectly, they have won themselves a place in the hearts of our staff with their cheery faces and genuine concern for the betterment of our restaurant.
In Closing
I could go on for hours about the job Draught Wise does. Not only have they given us the best system I’m aware of for serving quality brews, but they’ve given me a glimpse of what phenomenal customer service can be. Draught Wise, I applaud you. Thanks for making my pints of Hop Circle taste even better than before.
Steve Hof
Co Owner/Operator
Sauce Restaurant & Lounge
