Smart Managers: Pam Cardone
BY EILEEN MCCLELLAND
Published in the June 2013 issue
ASSISTANT MANAGER
STORE NAME: Sami Fine Jewelry
LOCATION: Fountain Hills, AZ
As a manager for Sami Fine Jewelry, Pam Cardone oversees 12 employees while also selling on the floor. She works on daily procedures, and helps open and close the store. She balances the sales for the day, as well, and developed a training program for the POS system. “Pam is a great manager,” says owner Stephenie Bjorkman. “One of my favorite qualities about her is that she will tell me what I need to hear, not necessarily what I want to hear. We work extremely well together.”
LEADERSHIP: I try to lead by example and make things fun. They know they can come to me and I won’t be critical of their questions or comments.
A SUGAR HIGH: If we have a really good day, I’ll go get ice cream and toppings for everyone to make ice cream sundaes. I also make pies, bring them in and I’ll have pie day. I have a bottle of B12 and when everyone’s really low I pass around B12.
FAVORITE QUOTE: “Normal is not something to aspire to, it’s something to get away from.” — Jodie Foster
ADVANCE PLANNING: When I’m selling, I do a lot by appointments. I try to be prepared and anticipate something the customer might not have thought of. And I also do a lot of suggestive selling, saying “You’ve got the pendant, the earrings would look fabulous.”
THE HARD PART: Dealing with a moody customer is most challenging for me. Usually I won’t even discuss what they are moody about. I’ll offer them something to drink, and say, “What can we do to make your day better?”
WHAT IT TAKES: To be in the jewelry business, people need to have flexibility, integrity and honesty.
HOW I SELL: My sales style is low-pressure and educational. MY BEST ADVICE for someone new to the business would be: “Just ask questions. If you don’t know, ask. You don’t come into a new place knowing everything. Never be afraid to ask questions.
COMMISSION: We have a commission store. We can do turnovers and we split the commission 50/50 if it’s a turnover. I have an open policy, too. If people need help, as the manager, I like to offer them help. We’re competitive to a degree but we’re all in it together. The better the store does, the better we all do.