I read about it online, and the only info I could find indicates that it's some sort of Internet ordering system:
Customers can shop for their groceries online and then pick them up at the store without leaving their car.
ClickList improves on the efficiency of the Express Lane services offered at sister chain Harris Teeter, Wolf said, in part by incorporating technology capable of processing higher volume and simultaneous picking of six orders at a time vs. just one at Harris Teeter. Additionally, the Liberty Township store improves flow by incorporating a drive-up windows in the rear of the store.
"Kroger plans to launch the service in 80 stores across the country this year, Ellis said. Itll start with Fred Meyer stores in the Northwest and add it in other divisions. Kroger will likely add the service at more Greater Cincinnati stores, he said, but he wouldnt put a timetable on that. Kroger will choose stores that have a lot of customers passing them on their way home from work. It wont add the service to every store."
Anyone who works in one of these stores know more? I'm curious how it works in-store. Who collects the groceries (baggers?), how it gets scanned, what happens if a customer doesn't show, etc.
There was a guy who posted not too long ago that worked in nutrition at one of the first 3 stores that started it, maybe he can come back and shed some more light. I'm rather curious as well.
I foresee a whole new batch of headaches and problems coming the way of employees that work at these stores.
I'm confident there will be plenty of hours added to accommodate this service, 'cause you know, Kroger is very generous with the hours in order to run its stores smoothly and efficiently.
I'm positive the employees that are tasked with "shopping" for customers will check and make sure there are no broken eggs in a carton before picking one off of the shelf, that the bread isn't smashed and check the dates on products to make sure the stuff isn't expired (we all know this is a problem, to varying degrees, in grocery stores). 'Cause you know, Kroger treats and pays its employees so well that everyone in the stores can't wait to enthusiastically serve the customer 100%.
I'm sure customers will never place bogus orders (that never happens, ever, right deli/bakery? Right!) and won't try and abuse the system ("I got home and found this can dented, my hot dog buns smashed, my bakery cookies in pieces, etc... who do you have picking out my groceries!? How are you gonna make it right!?" *management hands customer $20.00 gift card without questioning whether or not the stuff was damaged in the first place by careless employees*).
Yeah, this is gonna go beautifully (regardless of corporate spin)... just like so many of Kroger's brilliant ideas. For those of you that have to deal with this now and down the line, you have my sympathy...
EDIT: You know what this all is about, right? It's a ploy to further cut hours in stores, primarily front end hours. Less customers shopping in stores = fewer checkers/baggers, that's the ultimate goal. Thing is, we all can see just how bad Kroger is with metrics/forecasting/etc... and the company always slashes more than it should/is practical. Like self check-out. "Oh, you have self check-out now? You don't need as many cashiers/baggers because there will be fewer customers checking out at checkstands" which is true, to an extent, but Kroger over anticipates the impact and cuts more hours than it needs to/should. Just like this online ordering system. Kroger will likely overestimate its impact and take away hours that when it reality are still needed, like on the front end. Kroger is just too, too, eager to take away hours and pocket them that it happens again and again, and the stores end up worse off every time.
-- Edited by GenesisOne on Saturday 25th of July 2015 01:50:50 PM
