� Chicago , IL . Her work has appeared in Chicago ’ s Daily Herald newspaper , Time Out
2023 BEST PRACTICES AWARDS
Kristina Yager , Licensee Education and Prevention Coordinator , oversees Virginia ABC ’ s RADD ( Responsible Alcohol Delivery Driver ) training .
ulations . The course offers a pre-test option to give people a sense of how the program is structured before they begin the actual training . Individuals can also download resources and request that a printed tip sheet be mailed to them so that they have a convenient point of reference to refer to while in their car .
“ RADD educates delivery drivers by giving them the tools they need to be compliant with the Code of Virginia ,” said Kristina Yager , Licensee Education and Prevention Coordinator . “ They ’ re happy to take the training because it keeps them in the know and helps them do their job safely and within the confines of the law ,”
To date , more than 15,589 people have completed RADD training , which has a requirement of 80 % correct to pass but averages 91 %. Per an evaluation survey that trainees complete after taking RADD , 89 % of them agree that the material is relevant to their job duties , 87 % of them gained new knowledge from the course , and 87 % feel more confident in their ability to make responsible alcohol deliveries . The training is required annually , and Virginia ABC recently updated it to include state code changes to driver laws that took effect in 2023 .
CREATING A MORE EQUITABLE PRODUCT ALLOCATION PROCESS In an effort to address retail inequities when
10 distributing highly sought-after products that the agency receives in very limited quantities , Virginia ABC launched a new “ drop system ” in April 2022 .
As part of the process , stores still receive limited-availability products as part of their regular shipments , but they are not permitted to “ drop ” them ( sell or disclose the availability of these products to customers ) until receiving notification from agency headquarters .
Drop store locations and times are randomized , and once a drop occurs , store employees receive a five-minute heads-up via two internal systems notifying them that the products are now available for sale . Shortly after that , Virginia ABC announces the drops across its Facebook and Instagram social media accounts and via its Spirited Virginia e-newsletter . Products are then made available to customers on a first-come , first-serve basis , with a limit of one product per person .
Although the new drop system has some critics , Virginia ABC says it has been successful at achieving a more equitable distribution process .
“ We had issues around the demand for rare bourbons , and we have addressed them a result of this new drop process ,” said Pat Kane , Communications Specialist . “ Bourbon hunters had figured out our trucking delivery system and had an unfair advantage . Now everyone gets the same info at once via our digital channels and has an opportunity to purchase these products . It eliminates people lining up outside hours before the store opens .”
The drop system has contributed to exceptional growth across the agency ’ s social media channels and email newsletter . Instagram grew 1,300 % from 1,495 followers in March 2022 to 21,462 in February 2023 ; Facebook grew 88 % from 24,568 followers to 46,167 ; and the newsletter grew 49 % from 112,615 to 167,366 subscribers . Seventy drop events were held during that time . Signage promoting the agency ’ s social channels is featured on displays in stores .
“ Our platforms have soared in followers since last year ,” said Abby Pendleton , Consumer and Digital Marketing Strategist . “ We continue to see an average of 200 to 250 new followers each week . We weren ’ t doing paid content last year , but we ’ ve started doing that now to amplify opportunities to connect with this growing and engaged audience .” Drops are also occasionally used to boost traffic in stores when business is slow . “ If we see that sales happen to be down during a particular week , we do a drop ,” Burke said . “ It ’ s a great way to generate excitement with customers and get them into our stores . Quite often people come in for the limited-availability products but end up buying additional items as well , and our store employees can suggest comparable items if a certain product is sold out .”
Constantly looking for ways to improve , Virginia ABC is currently working on text message notifications for product drops , which will launch in the near future .
LOOKING AHEAD Virginia ABC shows no signs of slowing down . It continues to build upon the work of each of these initiatives and many others . Future plans include examining the evolution of e-commerce , specifically in the context of retail and enforcement . Above all , the agency will seek additional ways of providing better service .
“ At Virginia ABC , we are all public servants that have a role in the alcohol space , but in the end , we work for the commonwealth ,” said Travis Hill , CEO . “ Our entire team has just been incredible from the standpoint of working collaboratively and with so much dedication . We also have had a lot of fun in the process . That speaks to our culture and our values , and I am really proud of everything we have accomplished to date .”
Almost certainly , more innovations and achievements are soon to come .
Melissa Sherwin is a freelance writer and marketing communications strategist from
� Chicago , IL . Her work has appeared in Chicago ’ s Daily Herald newspaper , Time Out
Chicago , Suburban Life newspapers , and various magazines . She is also the author of several children ’ s books . Follow her @ MelissaNSherwin .
StateWays | www . stateways . com | Fall 2023