Their post:
SUMMARY: This position's accountabilities will include:
Know assigned stores and identify areas for improvement:
* Visit and do walk-throughs of assigned stores regularly to observe store operations, to recognize and acknowledge strengths and to identify areas for improvement.
* Work with Store Directors and Adventure Guides to better understand their level of training and expertise, together with the unique characteristics of the store and its customers.
* Use PDI to monitor the performance metrics of all assigned stores, including sales trends by product and category that might signal otherwise unanticipated marketplace changes.
* Understand how to maximize the effect of signage, promotions, displays, in-¬‐store merchandising and FRESCH expectations. Share this knowledge with Store Directors during store visits and with Area Supervisors during regularly scheduled coordination meetings.
Improve store performance:
* Provide suggestions to the Area Supervisors and Store Directors for merchandising and FRESCH improvements.
* Communicate with Area Supervisors as directed by corporate management and regarding issues observed as needing improvement.
* Counsel with Store Directors following walk-¬‐through and on follow-¬‐up visits to help them understand how improvements will help their store's performance.
Manage Maverik Marketing for assigned geographic area:
* Understand the marketplace in assigned geographic area, including organizations and activities with which Maverik can align for better community integration.
* Become an expert about the customers who live around or shop at each individual store. Use that knowledge to create initiatives that increase visits to the store and to help the store provide enhanced customer experiences.
• Monitor, understand and evaluate competitive options in
the areas surrounding each assigned store.
• Manage assigned field marketing budget to enhance each Maverik store's role in its community, to increase visits to the store and to generate trial of unique Maverik customer offerings
Provide essential communication for key Maverik Managers:
* Provide feedback regarding product performance, market conditions, store realities, promotion performance, test markets, and operational impacts of initiatives to the Segment and FRESCH teams through the Customer Advocate Manager, or directly as appropriate.
* Provide feedback to the Regional Directors regarding observed training needs and potential opportunities for operational improvement through the Customer Advocate Manager or directly as appropriate.
* Attend all Supervisor Meetings, providing feedback and gaining understanding about upcoming promotions and other initiatives.
* Provide communication to Area Supervisors regarding customer knowledge, promotions, new products, services and other information as directed by Segment and FRESCH Directors and coordinated with Regional Directors.
* Prepare a weekly accountability letter for the Customer Advocate Manager recounting the week's activities and results, together with schedule, contacts and upcoming week's plan
Minimum Experience and Degrees Needed for this Employment Adventure:
BA or high degree in Marketing or equivalent experience
2 to 3 yrs of experience in retail sales environment
Market/product merchandising, planning and execution experience
Essential Core Competencies:
Customer awareness and focus
Detail orientated
Demonstrated strong interpersonal management
Conflict resolution ability
Coaching and consensus building expertise
Organization skills
Analytical expertise
Results orientation
Problem solving and solution management
Emulate Maverik's Core Values and SRSE Standards:
o Big Time Thinkers *Senses
o Leader Who Serves *Rewards
o Customer Fanatics *Systems
o Value Drivers *Esteem
o Adventure Guide
Additional Job Requirements:
Valid driver's license and acceptable driving record.
Ability to spend at least one to two nights a week away from home on the road depending on the assigned geographic area and stores.
Must reside within the Flagstaff, AZ area.
My response is as follows. Note that they did not include contact information in the original Craigslist post, presumably because they require people with some brainpower to learn how to contact them. Simple enough with a Google Search and a few clicks on the Maverick website.
To whom it may concern,
I found the job description for the Customer Advocate position on the Flagstaff Craigslist site.
My name is Matt Beaty. I am a small business owner and marketing student in Flagstaff. In May, I will graduate with two bachelors degrees from NAU.
I frequently find myself playing the role of the amateur customer advocate. During my everyday interactions with companies and advertisements, I often find myself thinking that the organization is wasting their time or their money - that they could get the message across or better serve me as a customer by better understanding better how the customer thinks.
I have a working grasp of marketing principles and how they can best be applied to in-store promotions and published advertisements in new and more effective ways.
I believe I can help Maverick to continue to improve and grow by helping stores at the local level better serve their customers by integrating forward thinking and a personal approach with management and employees at all levels.
As a photographer and an advocate of personal defense, I am very observant and cultivate extreme attention to detail. I tend to notice things most people don't, especially concerning marketing and everyday business practices. I am also very flexible with my schedule and am used to traveling and working away from home.
My current resume is attached and references can be furnished upon request.
I look forward to hearing from you and to working to help Maverick continue to improve.
P.S. The Craigslist post for this position did not include contact information, so I located this address via Google and the Maverick Website. If you're looking for people with initiative, I think that's genius. If it is an oversight, I recommend including the appropriate contact address in the Craigslist post.
