SGWS to Cut Up to 219 U.S. Jobs

Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits said it will eliminate 1% of its U.S. commercial workforce as it moves to a hybrid model for some independent customers that combines field sales, inside sales, and digital commerce. 

With this new model, Southern Glazer’s said it has strategically designated an additional 1% of its independent customer base to be served by a newly redesigned inside sales team that will be called the “Customer Solutions Team,” as well as the company’s industry-leading Proof Commerce platform, two areas that continue to accelerate demand and growth.

The idea is to create a more effective and efficient solution that improves service for customers, all while maximizing earnings potential for its sales force.

Southern Glazer’s said its sales personnel and customers have greater access to data and insights at their fingertips, thanks to significant investments in digital capabilities through the company’s Proof Sales and Commerce platforms, enabling them to more efficiently drive growth. T

he redesigned and expanded “Customer Solutions Team” has been reimagined to reflect the important role this team will play in supporting certain independent customers with transactions, consultative selling, and digital commerce tools.

Southern Glazer's said it will work to place as many impacted employees as possible into the many open roles currently available across the organization. "We expect these efforts to result in a net reduction of approximately 1% of our U.S. workforce," it added.

“The marketplace is clearly signaling us to think differently about how we operate and best serve a portion of independent customers,” said Wayne E. Chaplin, president/CEO. “We are redirecting our resources where the business is moving and towards areas of growth, all while listening to our customers and individual markets to satisfy their needs and using AI to help us adapt to a changing market.

"Ultimately, this new hybrid approach will create a more responsive and effective customer support model, while improving the earning opportunity and retention for our talented commercial sales organization. We are committed to supporting our customers and continuing to provide the strongest portfolio of brands, deepest insights, and the most highly trained salesforce in the industry,” Chaplin added.