“Make a friend, make a member,” my practical take away from FSI dealt with tailoring my aisle walk interactions to a narrower group of individuals. To clarify, I began having fewer, more meaningful conversations with various current members and Walmart shoppers. While I think the ability to relate to a wide variety of people with differing personalities and interests remains a critical role for any position within Reliant, really honing in on commonalities as a building block proves very useful for me. Coupled with a helpful attitude, the following story really boosted my confidence and made me appreciate the FSI training: A little more than a week ago I went to the Automotive section of Walmart, as I do with every aisle walk so that at the very least I can think about work I can do on my own cars. I saw a number of men and a lone, intensely focused looking woman. I asked the woman if everything was alright. It turned out her son had sent her to purchase oil and a filter for her car so he could change her oil. Since I needed to do my own in about a week, I thought I could show her what I use. She did not seem to understand the importance of changing oil, the grades of oil, and working on cars in general. I helped her find the best oil and correct filter to suit her needs. She said she appreciated my help, and walked away a bit more educated on cars and with some familiarity with Reliant. Despite having little else in common, focusing on Christine’s needs opened up an avenue for a conversation. Sticking with her, helping her solve a dilemma, and keeping it light through reflected well on me as a person and as a representative of Reliant.
