Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (ABC) Partners with GK Software and The MacLaren Group to Deliver a Seamless Checkout Experience and Comprehensive Staff Training
To enhance efficiency and customer experience, the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (ABC) partnered with The MacLaren Group and GK Software to upgrade its aging retail checkout systems across 400 state-operated stores. The MacLaren Group developed a comprehensive training strategy, ensuring a seamless transition, optimized staff performance, and long-term success throughout the product lifecycle.
At a Glance
Significant Change
Shifting to the new GK solution marked a major departure from outdated technology, making effective training and change management crucial for success.
Custom Training Needs
To address the diverse roles—cashiers, sales staff, and inventory managers—tailored training solutions were essential.
Comprehensive Approach
The MacLaren Group crafted a holistic training strategy, covering end-user proficiency from pre-deployment through to post-launch, utilizing a range of training methods.
Overview
In Virginia, the ABC oversees the regulation of alcohol sales, managing 400 state-operated stores and monitoring 19,000 licensed establishments. In 2020, Virginia ABC embarked on a mission to modernize their aging retail checkout systems. To achieve this, they selected GK as the ideal solution to meet their needs.
The MacLaren Group partnered with Virginia ABC to develop and implement a robust training strategy, ensuring a smooth transition and ongoing success from the initial deployment throughout the product lifecycle.
The Business Need
In the world of retail, customer service is paramount, and comprehensive training is crucial for leveraging new systems effectively. Virginia ABC understood that each store is unique, and a one-size-fits-all training approach wouldn’t suffice. As they replaced their outdated system, Virginia ABC aimed to ensure that every store was well-prepared to use the new system, allowing them to concentrate on delivering excellent customer service.
Faced with the challenge of deploying the new solution across all stores within a tight timeline, Virginia ABC turned to The MacLaren Group. The MacLaren Group crafted a tailored training strategy that addressed the specific needs of each store, ensuring successful implementation at go-live and providing support for staff turnover, new store openings, and role transitions.
The MacLaren Group Solution
To support the Virginia ABC in its transition to a new system, The MacLaren Group developed a thorough and tailored training program that included:
Custom Training Materials
We developed training materials tailored to Virginia ABC’s policies, procedures, and standards. These resources included job aids, leader guides, coach guides, and role-specific exercises, all designed for use in training sessions.
Regional Workshops
We organized regional workshops where directors and store managers participated in immersive 3-day sessions. Each workshop included a store training kit replicating the GK system setup, allowing trainees to engage in realistic exercises such as cash management, POS operations, inventory management, merchandising, and pricing. The final day focused on teach-back exercises, preparing attendees to effectively train their own store teams.
Web-Based Training
We created custom Web-Based Training (WBT) courses that were mandatory before attending in-person workshops. These WBT courses provided users with a virtual environment to practice and familiarize themselves with the features of the new GK solution. Designed in modular segments, the courses ensured information was manageable and retained. Additionally, simulation exercises mimicked real-life store scenarios, offering practical experience and boosting trainees' confidence.
The Results
Since the deployment of the GK solution, Virginia ABC has achieved an impressive 99.9% uptime, ensuring that stores open on schedule and operate seamlessly, thus delivering a consistently smooth shopping experience. This exceptional performance is largely attributed to the comprehensive training provided to the staff.
With well-trained associates focusing on customer service rather than grappling with the new system, user adoption was significantly enhanced. The MacLaren Group’s effective training strategy enabled Virginia ABC to roll out the solution on time and within budget across all locations, marking a successful transition to a modernized operational system.