Service Management Group (SMG)
45 Case Studies
Case Study: Books-A-Million reduces store turnover and boosts engagement & learning with Service Management Group (SMG)
A Service Management Group (SMG) Case Study
Attract + retain top talent by acting quickly on employee feedback
Books-A-Million had never formally measured the employee experience and wanted to identify KPIs and engagement challenges across the enterprise, so they partnered with Service Management Group (SMG) to launch their first system‑wide associate survey. SMG’s diagnostic revealed that Opportunities to Learn & Develop was a top driver but a bottom‑performing aspect of the associate experience, with company communication and store‑level pay as key improvement areas.
Acting quickly on SMG’s insights, Books‑A‑Million created a Cashier Lead position, simplified its bonus policy, relaxed the dress code, and launched quarterly all‑associate meetings to boost transparency and development. Those changes led to a 4‑point reduction in store‑level turnover, +4 points in Opportunities to Learn & Develop, +4 points in Open Communication, and a +1 point increase in overall engagement, demonstrating the measurable impact of SMG’s approach.
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