Guests visiting the Dash In store in Indian Head, Maryland, are greeted by plenty of friendly faces, but Joyce Kendall, the store’s dedicated concierge and guest experience member, stands out.

Joyce is there to make customers feel at home and help them find everything they need while in Dash In, the new concept store from the Wills Group, which is a food- and experience-forward spin on convenience retail.

As the concierge, Joyce is a key part of the store’s focus on hospitality and being a pillar of its neighborhood. At any given time, you can find her walking the floor with samples of the kitchen’s fresh food items to try, helping guests customize their order at the kiosk, making personalized recommendations or just asking visitors how their day is going and getting to know them like a neighbor.

Joyce has been with Dash In for eight years and started as the Indian Head location’s concierge when the store opened in April. She’s always loved working with people, and spoke with NACS about:

What being a concierge at Dash In entails

My role is to welcome the guests—we call them guests, not customers. I am here to make sure everyone feels welcome and has the best possible experience in the store while shopping.

Why she enjoys being a concierge

I have always enjoyed working with people, and I’ve always treated people like I’ve known them forever. And by doing that, I just get to know the guests well and they know me, and when they come into the store, we talk like we’ve been friends forever.

What she finds fulfilling about her role as a concierge

The most fulfilling thing is that I get to talk to guests who really enjoy coming to the store. They’re not used to being waited on and so they’re often totally shocked by the level of service. They’re not used to someone saying ‘Welcome, how are you doing today?’ or ‘You look nice today’ at every store they visit. And so they really love that and it makes them want to come back.

What she would tell others about working in a convenience store

I love it because you get to meet all kinds of people from different walks of life. You experience and learn things by meeting customers that you normally might not have. You get to help people. If they’re sad, you lift them up and can really make their day. When you talk to someone who is having a bad day or maybe isn’t feeling great, and then they walk out the door with a smile, that makes you feel great and is rewarding.