Pre-Interview Tour of Businesses

The VRC, Debra, contacts the owners by phone to briefly explain her role and request a brief informational interview. Upon hearing the VRC's role, the owner indicates that they are not hiring at this time. The VRC responds, "That's okay! I'm just doing some research about local businesses and promise to take no more than 15 minutes of your time." The owner, Erika, agrees to meet with Debra.

The VRC shows up fifteen minutes before her interview to have a look around. She notes that the grocery store, while small, hosts a deli, a small bakery, fresh produce, household products, and typical frozen foods and canned goods. The store is busy. One employee is assisting a customer behind the deli counter. Another is checking groceries at one of two checkout stands; two customers are waiting in line. Another employee stocking the produce section greets Debra warmly and asks if she requires any assistance. The store appears to be bright, well-stocked, and friendly.

Debra goes next door to the self-serve laundromat. It hosts eight sets of industrial-size wash machines and dryers. There are carts for transporting laundry and countertops for folding. Coin-operated machines dispense laundry products. Signage provides friendly instructions to users and refers customers to the grocery store for any problems.

Business Needs Assessment

Debra returns to the grocery store at the scheduled time. She is greeted by Erika, who greeted Debra earlier. Debra notes to herself that she is meeting with a hands-on owner.

Debra shares genuinely positive observations of the grocery store and laundromat with Erika. Erika is pleased to hear the remarks and claims that she and her husband have been working hard to upgrade portions of the business while keeping the same welcoming environment that the previous owners had established. She added that their goal is to keep the existing customers and gain new customers, too.

Debra asked about the upgrades. Erika shared that they expanded the produce section to meet customers' needs; customers would typically have to drive 30 miles into town for those items. In addition to growing the section, they introduced a fresh market look with a new product display unit and lighting. The produce looks colorful and fresh. They also purchased new coolers and frozen food units. Lastly, she shared that they enhanced the existing branding and bought new aprons featuring the store logo for employees. They were careful to maintain the integrity of the existing logo, one with whom the longtime locals were well familiar.

Summary of Business Needs

When asked what their most vital business need is, Erika replied, "staffing." She explained that they don't want customers to have to wait long to checkout. Yet, it's challenging to find staff who are willing to work particular shifts. She said that 4 pm to 6 pm is their busiest time during the workweek. She added that it's hard to find a balance between checking out customers and stocking shelves. Employees typically run back and forth, which is disruptive to the process. Also, with Covid-19, they now wipe down all carts and checkout stands between customers. That takes time, too.

When asked about the laundromat, Erika said that it is self-serve but requires daily cleanup: wiping out the wash machines, wiping down all the countertops and carts, and restocking the laundry products.

Considering Savannah's interests and abilities and the employer's business needs, can you see a match?

Introduction to Business Services

Mindful of the time, Debra shared her business rack card, explaining Business Services and emphasizing that the intent is to help employers meet their needs. This lead to a discussion on accommodations.