Featured Agent August-September 2010

Welcome to Cumberland Farms Store #8019 on Riverside Avenue in Burlington. Store Manager Bill Garen and his staff have been very close to the top of the instant ticket sales list for a long time, and its no accident.
Bill has a few important pieces of advice to share with other agents that have helped him maintain strong instant sales over the years. First is their positive attitude towards Vermont Lottery products. Bill understands that there is paperwork involved in balancing tickets and watching for theft, but also realizes that tickets are basically on consignment. There are products on the counter that have a higher margin than tickets, says Bill, but I may sell 2 or 3 of that product a week while I sell about $6,200 in tickets a week. Bill adds, I cant vacation on margin!

Bill and his staff are also very aware of all the different games the Lottery offers, both instant and online. He makes sure that the area around the Instant Tickets is clear so tickets are visible and dispensers are full all the time. He carries a large assortment of tickets in his store, with both in-counter and stackable dispensers to display tickets. Having all games available satisfies all the customer preferences. Many players watch the outstanding prize list and look for older games in addition to current games.

Bills last tip for agents is to make sure they cash in any winning tickets that customers have. Turning away a customer is a sure way not to see them again. 

There are things that an agent can do to increase ticket sales and make more money. They may take a little effort, but as you can see from Cumberland Farms #8019, it pays off. Thanks to Bill Garen and staff, keep up the great work!