One Minute With Jackie Middleton
Director, Florence O. Wilson Bookstore
The College of Wooster, Wooster, OH
Jackie has been in the bookstore industry for nearly twenty-five years and joined the Florence O. Wilson Bookstore at The College of Wooster in 1995. Jackie is currently the Director of Administrative & Auxiliary Services.
Jackie has been active through the college store industry. She has served on multiple NACS Inc. boards and committees, NACAS committees, and served a term as the president of the Ohio Association of College Stores. She is currently serving a term as a NACS Foundation Board of Director. Jackie is a graduate of Mount Union College, Alliance, Ohio.
Recently, Jackie agreed to have the Wilson Bookstore be part of a NACS Foundation initiative to demonstrate how easy it can be to implement Store of 2015 recommendations. The project involved collaboration between the NACS Foundation, Big Red Rooster, bookstore staff and students. With only $1,000 to spend, the college students followed the College Store of 2015 research findings to give the bookstore a make-over. Here is what Jackie has to say about the project:
NF: Why did you agree to do this project?
JM: Participating in this project has been energizing for our staff and our campus! We are located in a 40-year-old student center, where the main floor lounge had recently been 'refurbished'. With our proximity to this fresh project, our store needed a lift. There was also the happy circumstance of Wooster's location - between NACS and Retail Forward - as well as my connection with the NACS Foundation.
NF: What was the timeframe of the project, start to finish?
JM: Including all research and work, the project took less than six months ... actually, the physical 'conversion' was accomplished in two weeks!
NF: What steps did you have to take to get administration approval?
JM: Wooster's President and Vice President for Finance and Business, to whom I report, are very supportive of my work with NACS and with the Foundation. When they learned that we could participate in a project that would benefit our industry, as well as refresh our store, they were enthusiastic about our participation.
NF: How were you able to get students involved in the project?
JM: I contacted one of our faculty members, Dr. John Sell, who teaches business and economics ... it was the perfect 'case study' for his senior marketing class!
NF: From the feedback your students shared in the planning phase, what was most surprising?
JM: Our staff was very surprised that the marketing and advertising that our store has produced went largely unnoticed by these senior students. We learned that social media - Facebook, especially - is the way to reach today's students!
NF: What has been the best outcome of this project?
JM: I cannot say enough about the cooperation and enthusiasm of our store staff - some of the students' comments were difficult to hear, but the staff listened with open minds and moved forward to implement change.
NF: If you had to identify the biggest challenge of the project, what would it be?
JM: Although no challenges were insurmountable, the toughest aspect was probably scheduling the physical work in the store around student schedules. We were very fortunate to have a group of involved, committed seniors who had lots going on in their final semester ... and they all wanted to participate in the project.
NF: In the short period of time since the project ended, have you noticed a change in store traffic?
JM: Absolutely! With the rearrangement of inventory, and attention to detail, our customers often ask if we have added space to the store. As an example, our clothing department was very crowded before we participated in this project; we have introduced more color and used space more wisely ... making a big difference in traffic and sales!
NF: Do you have future plans to include students for similar projects?
JM: We have always employed student workers, but I think we have not given them opportunity to make meaningful suggestions (or maybe we just didn't listen!). Our staff members are now focused on our core customers, the students, and plan to involve them in buying decisions and focus groups.
NF: Is there any advice you would share with other bookstore directors considering a similar project?
JM: I would suggest that store staff be involved in every phase of the project; the benefits of staff and students working together will result in a positive outcome!
Be sure to watch the webisodes on how the College of Wooster students put the College Store of 2015 concepts into action. The first webisode has been released and features the first planning meeting on February 10. The webisodes were designed to document the process from start to finish and act as a resource to assist members move forward towards 2015.