Throughout my life, I remember going to Barnes and Noble. I didn't just go for normal books, I went with my family to the Christian sections. Mainly for Veggie Tales when I was a kid. As I grew older, I went less and less. Soon the Barnes and Noble that was near my favorite restaurant closed and became a Lifeway Christian Store. A full store dedicated to selling Christian products, it felt overwhelming. I went in there few times until I left for college in 2015. Before I left, I went into Lifeway and purchased my first "adult" bible. I loved the atmosphere inside of the store and how the associates took the time to help me find the perfect product.
Fast forward to the beginning of summer 2016. I finished my freshman year of college and was looking for a job. I tried multiple places, many of which I was not at all excited about. I had worked the fast food jobs and a job at a large retail chain. Something brought me to the Lifeway Careers website and I saw that the store I first went into was hiring. Within the next week I was hired and had started training. Even at my interview, I knew I was doing something completely different than I had before. Working in Christian retail was a whole new chapter in my work experience.
I started my online training. It felt like I had watched more videos than I have at any other job, and I still have videos to continue watching. The first thing I noticed is that there are so many videos to ensure that I can be the best employee for our customers. In this company, stores are all about serving the customer, not just about selling the item. This is something I felt I knew at my previous retail job, however that was clouded by other tasks, store card registration quotas, and sales. Lifeway is completely different.
Through my in store training, I saw a whole different side to customer service. I remember the nice, patient employees who helped me the year before and realized that I am now one of them. Checkouts are not just about being fast yet efficient but about speaking to the customer about their day and even praying with them if they need it. I still have yet to pray for a customer on my own but I have witnessed it in action.
It seems very strange to work in a store where a customer may come in looking for a product and leave with something much greater. I learned that I can turn a bad day into a better situation, something I feel I was not able to do working at a large retail store.
I still have a lot to learn at Lifeway and I have a long way to go, but I know it will be an experience that I will carry with me throughout my future careers and throughout my life.
