2022 BEST PRACTICES AWARDS
Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board
BEST RETAIL INNOVATION : READY INITIATIVE
by JAMIE STAFFORD
In August of 2021 , the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board ( PLCB ) launched the READY initiative , a program for Fine Wine & Good Spirits ( FW & GS ) retail employees focused on elevating customer experience . READY stands for : Responsibility and results Engagement Available Drive units to basket Y – Why is the customer leaving without a purchase ? The initiative consists of an introductory training video that explains the motivation for READY , program goals , the importance of employees ’ individual and collective roles and how to implement the initiative to establish a customer-focused culture and achieve an optimal shopping experience for customers in every store ; a customer service experience guide ; an overview and template for the READY one-minute meeting , a daily one-minute check-in for employees with their supervisor at the beginning of each shift to consider daily individual , customer service and sales goals ; and a seasonal product and selling guide , with tips and strategies for adhering to and implementing program principles during peak traffic times .
“ READY was built to drive conversations between our associates and our customers ,” says Andrew Collins , Chief Operating Officer of the PLCB . “ Angela and her team worked really hard on this program , collaborating to create messaging that would open dialogue and conversation .”
Angela Schaul is the Director of Stores and Operations for the PLCB . She and her team were the brains behind the READY initiative .“ When I joined the PLCB ,” she recalls , “ I really walked into an operationally sound business , but what was missing was the experience for both our internal and external customers . There wasn ’ t really a culture surrounding either .” Schaul ’ s goal , then , was to foster a culture for stores and customers alike . “ I ’ m a firm believer that if we take care of our employees , we pay that experience forward to the customer . When I started really thinking about how to bring this culture to life , I kept that idea at the forefront .”
In creating the initiative , the PLCB listened to both retailers and customers .“ We had an internal taskforce of district managers and spent several weeks reviewing their observations in-store and getting feedback from their general managers and store associates ,” Collins says .
“ When we formed this taskforce of district managers , they really came to the table with what was needed ,” says Schaul . “ We have such a tenured leadership , all these people on the taskforce were , at one time , people who worked directly in stores . They knew exactly what was missing and what was needed .”
In terms of growth , READY has paid dividends . From implementation of the program on Aug . 1 , 2021 , through March 31 , 2022 , 4,957 FW & GS retail employees completed READY training . According to the PLCB , net sales for this time
“ READY was built to drive conversations between our associates and our customers .”
– ANDREW COLLINS , CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF THE PLCB
period exceeded $ 1.7 billion , an increase of 5.5 % over the same time period the prior year , while overall unit sales increased by 6 %.
Out of 564 stores , 320 ( 57 %) showed positive sales growth post-READY implementation , serving as a practical example of how implementing the principles of READY shaped the behaviors of retail associates and their interactions with customers , to deliver a memorable and unique customer experience above and beyond traditional customer service .
20 StateWays | www . stateways . com | Fall 2022