Approximately 50 conventioneers received tips and pointers yesterday on how to train their store staff in customer-service disciplines.

"How do you bring value to your customers, community and neighborhood through the ministry of your store?" CBA Business Development Director Eric Grimm asked the crowd during the "Differentiate Your Store with Knowledgeable Frontliners" workshop.

Grimm shared that there are four types of retailers in the market: frugal, accomplished, enthusiast and passionate. He added that Christian retailers fall under the enthusiast and passionate categories because of their ability to sell products that transform lives and communities.

"Hire (someone) for (their) attitude, not their experience," Grimm said. "When you hire for attitude, the knowledge (and training) that you're able to impart to your frontliners (will engage your customers)."

He also encouraged attendees to attend events at the convention such as the "Heart of the Artist Luncheon" and the "Heart of the Author Breakfast." Grimm said those sessions "will give you background (on products) to connect with your customers in a special way." "Product knowledge is a critical thing," he added.

Grimm closed by sharing tidbits from former retailer Gunnar Simonsen's social media workshop at ICRS. "The less it's about you, the more it's about you," he said. "Turn your monologues to dialogues. ... It's just not just, ‘come to my store and buy something.' But, what can your store do to connect with your community?"

Laura Sharpson, assistant manager for only a month at Mount Hermon Book Shop in Mount Hermon, Calif., said the workshop offered "helpful tools" to share with the eight other employees of her store. "A lot of this is new to me," she said. "I'm stepping into a role of training. I want to be able to help our staff to be enthusiastic and passionate frontliners."

Trish Pasley, associate manager for 13 years of Day Star Christian Bookstore in Mt. Vernon, Ill., said the workshop was a "good reminder and refresher." "We have relationships with our customers," said Pasley, who came with two staff members from her store. "This (workshop) confirms a lot of things that we're doing is in the right direction and on course. It's good to be reminded of the things we should do to differentiate our store, and to make sure that we're not losing the edge."

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