Spirited Virginia Q2 2020 - 11

BILLY FELLIN

SPOTLIGHT ON SERVICE

Angela Jamerson, Store 281, Madison Heights

A

ngela Jamerson's ability to connect
with people was the reason she joined
Virginia ABC, at the suggestion of an ABC
regional manager who said her personality
made her perfect for the job. Angela enjoyed
the work but soon earned her bachelor's
degree from Lynchburg College and moved
out of state-until the stars aligned, and she
returned. Now she's a manager in the town
where she grew up.
"The good thing is, everybody knows
everybody. But the bad thing is, everybody
knows everybody," she says of small-town
living.
How do you stay current on new products?
I try to do my research. Spirited Virginia
magazine is a great tool-you've got the
recipes, the products; and then when you
give the magazines out and people ask you
questions, you really need to know.
How do you connect customers with
products?
I'll ask customers who like a type of product if
they might be interested in a similar product,
so I can order it if they are.
I ask my regular customers, is there any
product you've seen in another store that you
wish we had? And I'll get it in-just a couple
bottles to see if we can sell it-and if we sell
it, then I'll get more; but if we don't, I'll still
keep it for that one person.
Do you have other strategies to keep
customers coming back?

Before Black Friday, I'll start calling customers,
especially if it's people that want expensive
things so I can make sure we have them. I
tell people when we're going to have sales.
Right before our Black Friday sale we had a
gentleman come and he had two bottles of
Crown Royal XR, which is about $120, and
a Jack Daniels Select. I added it up in my
head, and at 20 percent off [for Black Friday]
he could've gotten that Select, which was
$69.99, for free.
I told him, "If you wait two more days, you
can get that Jack Daniels for free. But don't
let me down-you better come back and
spend that money!" And sure enough, he did.
He came back twice before Christmas after
that, and so I have made a customer for life.
I'm active in my store. I'm not just there to
take your money. I'm going to find out what
you like, what you don't like.
How do you teach these principles to your
staff?
We play little games. Like I'll tell them, read
about a product, then sell it to me. You
have to know it to sell it, and once you feel
confident, you can sell it. We'll play "name
that customer"-what else would you try to
sell him that's like what he enjoys?
What makes a quality Virginia ABC store?
Clean, well-stocked, friendly knowledgeable
staff. It's the people-customers can tell
whether you're sincere about their needs,
that you like them and you know your product.

-Annie Tobey
SPIRITED VIRGINIA | APRIL | MAY | JUNE 2020 11
https://www.heavensdoor.com/
Spirited Virginia Q2 2020

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