The Power of the "Known" Guest: How Chateau Chantal Fuels Growth with Data

At a Glance: Chateau Chantal

• The Challenge: Moving away from anonymous, "walk-in" transactions to better understand the people visiting the winery.
• The Solution: Using a 300-point Loyalty Program incentive to encourage guests to create an account at the POS.
• The Result: A massive increase in identified guests. Chateau Chantal now "knows" 70% of their total customers (up from about half) and is committed to growing this number.

The Power of the "Known" Guest: How Chateau Chantal Fuels Growth with Data

For Chateau Chantal in Traverse City, Michigan, the path to a stronger business started with a clear objective: increase customer engagement. VP of Finance and Operations, Liz Berger, recognized that to expand their reach and enhance the guest experience, they first had to bridge the gap between a casual visit and a lasting connection.

"Our primary goal is to increase customer engagement," Liz explains. "We have good success when we email customers; we’re hoping to increase engagement and expand our reach."

Turning the "Ask" into a Benefit

Capturing emails in the Tasting Room can often feel like a hurdle for staff. To solve this, Chateau Chantal implemented a simple, effective incentive: 300 loyalty points automatically added to every new customer account upon creation.

This "instant win" completely shifted the staff’s approach. "The 300 points is an easy win for our staff to offer guests for sharing an email," Liz says. By leading with a benefit, the team makes it easy for guests to start accumulating value immediately. These points live in the customer's digital profile, ready to be redeemed as a discount on a future bottle of wine or a return visit to the Tasting Room.

Data with a Purpose

While collecting emails fuels their marketing database, Liz is focused on using that data to improve the guest's relationship with the brand. By identifying the person behind the purchase at the POS, Chateau Chantal can fully utilize Commerce7 features like Guest Insights and Website Personalization to ensure every digital interaction feels as personal as a visit to the winery.

Results You Can Measure: Moving from Anonymous to Known

By focusing on staff training and the Loyalty Program, Chateau Chantal transformed their data landscape. By identifying the people behind the purchases, they increased their Tasting Room "known guest" percentage to a record 70%. 

With the vast majority of their guests now identified and connected to their orders, Chateau Chantal is positioned to act more wisely. They are moving away from broad strokes and toward a future of directed, relevant engagement. By turning anonymous visitors into known customers, they are building a brand that is personal, intentional, and built to last.

"The 'guest insights' feature doesn’t work unless you have a guest attached to begin gathering data. Collecting the email fuels our marketing database... this enhances their guest experience." — Liz Berger, Chateau Chantal