The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board is forming a Wine Advisory Council comprising restaurant owners, hotel managers and wine experts "to help bring the best selections and wine values to Pennsylvania consumers," the agency announced yesterday.

Chairman Patrick J. Stapleton III said the council is part of an initiative to improve customers' shopping experience at the PLCB's 620 stores.

"For too long, this organization has been about us and what we want to accomplish as an agency, and we have lost sight of what matters most -- our customers," Mr. Stapleton said.

A survey 2,000 of customers last year was "a real wake-up call," he said in a release. "Less than half our customers told us they were satisfied with their shopping experience. They viewed a visit to the Wine & Spirits store as a chore and said they spent an average of only eight minutes in the store per visit, while other specialty retailers have average visits closer to half an hour.

"With retail customers' expectations rightfully higher than ever, that's simply not good enough."

While members will be added to the council in coming months, two were introduced at yesterday's news conference in Hershey -- Bill Kohl, president and CEO of Harrisburg Hotel Corp., and Alex Sebastian, owner of the Wooden Angel restaurant in Beaver.

Mr. Kohl said members, who will not be paid, will make suggestions on wine selections, provide tasting notes, serve as LCB "brand ambassadors" and work with customers.

Mr. Stapleton also said more changes are planned for the state stores "that will transform the shopping experience" for customers.

"We will make a new, unprecedented commitment to customer service, including more training for store staff to give them the tools they need to offer customers an outstanding shopping experience," he said in the release.