In episode 229 of Total Retail Talks, Executive Editor Joe Keenan interviews Drew Chamberlain, director of operations and customer experience at JO-ANN Stores, a specialty retailer of crafts and fabrics. Listen in as Chamberlain discusses JOANN's recent partnership with customer service platform Gladly, why the craft retailer felt the need to invest in new technology, and how the brand's leadership vetted dozens of vendors to find the right partner.

Chamberlain explains how Gladly's cloud-based platform allowed for easy integration and intuitive employee training, delivering cost savings and other benefits to the organization. Furthermore, he describes how the platform's single stream conversational format has helped JO-ANN Stores deliver omnichannel customer service, while also reducing the volume of customer service requests. Lastly, Chamberlain shares what he's focusing on next to continue to provide an optimal shopping experience to JO-ANN customers.