A Christian publishing consultant has offered Christian retailers business tips drawn from a leading rival.

Insights into how stores can improve their customer service by looking at how Books-A-Million (BAM) operates are offered in a new series in Christian Retailing magazine.

Author and children's market consultant Mary Manz Simon visited the general market chain for the first "CompeTuition" report, which offers retail lessons from other businesses.

Simon notes BAM's well-designed Web site, observing that "some Christian bookstores fail to acknowledge a critical fact: A shopper's first impression is made often not by the brick-and-mortar exterior, but the home page on the Internet."

In-store, Simon points out an emphasis on face-out display of books and an absence of cross-merchandising, except for product on spinners. " 'Merchandising' was the front cover of the product," she reports.

"Initially, I was surprised at this, but it makes sense, as the front cover is generally the most expensive ad a publisher creates for a book. Allowing product to 'sell itself' also eliminates the need for labor-intensive dusting of shelves and arranging displays."

Simon compliments BAM on "an excellent shopping experience," its appeal to shoppers as a gathering place and superior customer service. "Frontliners were visible and available, moving among the aisles so that there was no need for anyone to visit the service center," she writes. "However, a large 'Customer Service' sign, hung from the ceiling, was clearly visible, even from the adjoining mall."

Read the complete report in the March issue of Christian Retailing.

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