2018 Q2 Spirited Virginia - 13

JEB INGE

SPOTLIGHT ON SERVICE

Shannon Payne, Manager, Store 313, Fredericksburg

S

hannon Payne is celebrating her 10thyear anniversary at Virginia ABC. She
began as a clerk in the Culpeper store and
her career has moved up since. She became
manager at store #313 in Fredericksburg about
three years ago.
The Fredericksburg store is a high-volume
one, with a broad selection of products and
plenty of licensees coming in from restaurants
as well as customer walk-ins. And she likes that.
"I love the store and the staff. It's really a
busy store and keeps me going," Payne says.
What do you enjoy about working for Virginia
ABC?
I think my job suits me. I'm an analytical
person, but I'm also very social, and this feeds
both. I have a lot of reporting and data entry
that feeds that logical, analytical part, but my
favorite part of my job is being with customers.
What makes a quality ABC store?
The manager dictates the tone of the store in
multiple ways-not just in the presentation
of the displays and the organization, but also
the general feel and the training of the staff,
whether they have support to perform their job.
How do you learn about the different spirits
and cocktails?
I learn mostly from customers. They seem
to have the pulse on things. Like if they're

following a specific distillery, say Jack Daniels,
then they'll be notified by Jack Daniels when
something is about to be released.
I also research independently on the
internet. Labels are informative as well. I'm
always hungry for new information, which
makes me better able to assist customers.
How do you help promote products?
We do a lot of events, like tastings, and Mini
Monday, where we give away complimentary
samples of products with purchase. We have
special sections-closeouts, promotional
sections, gift sets, new items.
How does your work promote public safety?
We control underage alcohol sales, not selling
to somebody who's intoxicated-those things
benefit the Commonwealth in general.
How do you apply the ABC's core values
of accountability, service, integrity and
performance excellence in your daily work?
Accountability is opposite from some of the
theories you're hearing today-I think things
"trickle up." A clerk may have made an error, but
it's up to me to resolve that for the customer
or ABC.
My supervisor has been a phenomenal
mentor. She gives the green light on learning
and growing and really plants the seed for a
nurturing environment.

A GREAT

MANHATTAN
BEGINS IN

VIRGINIA
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COPYRIGHT 2018, CATOCTIN CREEK DISTILLING COMPANY, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

SPIRITED VIRGINIA | APRIL | MAY | JUNE 2018 13
http://www.catoctincreek.com
2018 Q2 Spirited Virginia

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