So, the store I have been working at for a year has gotten a new store manger. The old one went off to our local corporate headquarters, and although he could be an *******, he kept that store running in tight shape. This new guy, however, is running this store into the ground. His policies seem like the biggest idiocracy ever, and part of me hopes the store does take a small dip so they will see how dumb he is (the other part of me doesn't wanna lose my job however :P). What follows are some of the stupidity I deal with now thanks to this guy (btw I work for 1 of the biggest Krogers on the east coast square footage-wise, we sell furniture which I'm told is somewhat rare.):
1) The first thing he did when he got there, was to clog up the whole lobby with a ****-ton of water/soda/chip displays. I no longer have anywhere to put carts at all. Not to mention it is out past where the security beacons are. We have 1 person up front at night. I'm guessing that half the "Sales" he makes on these products are stolen goods. And yes we have a camera in the lobby, but it points one direction, and even if it catches you, theres no guaruntee that the police will ever turn up any evidence on the perpatrator.
2) He ordered 50 new small carts. Mainly I blame the customers on that one. They demand those things but fail to realize that I cannot push very many in at once. I can push like 8 small carts in, where I can push 15-20 big carts in. The damn small carts go like brownies at a pot party. I don't get the appeal very much. Especially when half the time they pack way more than they can fit in there.
3) I now have about 300 carts to keep up with, plus I get yelled at when there are no small carts now, even though the big ones are just fine for everyone, people are whiners. I am one person I can't do this alone. Anyway, the carts fall behind one day, and he gets PO'd at someone (not me thankfully, I wasn't there). Now instead of logically assigning 2 people to the lot, he decides to have all the baggers on the front ask if people want assistance to their car. When they go out, they have to bring in 3 carts. Now he has the front end constantly backed up because there are no baggers. LOVELY.
The new manager we got is trying to do the same ****. Green horns don't know how to not follow the rules just enough to keep their people happy and fail to realize it only pisses people off. Forcing cashiers to go all the way around to the bagger station just to bag groceries when they don't have a bagger is pure hell, especially on the first of the month when you'll never be able to move because of constant flows of customers.
NOT EVEN WALMART CASHIERS HAVE TO DO THAT.
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Would you like fries with th... I mean, your milk in a bag?
The displays are not an option-he has to do those-and the bigger the store,the more your display has to have the WOW factor..not to mention everyone will be dropping in since he's new to see how he's doing and how his store is looking. He's under alot of pressure. Not fun.
As for the cart thing, I actually think thats a good idea, and as long as you have baggers that dont take all day screwing around getting 3 freaking carts, nothing should get backed up.
Sounds like he's doing alright so far..everyone just has growing pains, thats all.
To answer part of your statement, The water/chip display in the Foyer is most likely to a display plan the store has to follow.
Those displays in the foyer are a bad idea. Nothing sells from them. When customers walk in they grab a bascart and head straight for the inside entrance. They don't stop to look at a display. The best place to put a display is somewhere along the perimeter of the store. Bakery items always do real well if they're put near the checklanes.
They call it the "million dollar foyer". In some high volume stores it does sell great. However, it does have a high risk of theft. We usually put Mega Event/Cart Buster events in the foyer where people can grab get deals and head inside. It does generate some sales. I would say maybe "$2,000 / day - $5,000 day" in a high volume store depending on the day of the week. Basically it gets 1 more item in the cart.
-- Edited by AnonymousCutter on Wednesday 10th of October 2012 09:53:20 PM
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My Views and Opinions do not reflect that of the Kroger company. I'm an indivdual expressing my 1st amendment right.
To answer part of your statement, The water/chip display in the Foyer is most likely to a display plan the store has to follow.
Those displays in the foyer are a bad idea. Nothing sells from them. When customers walk in they grab a bascart and head straight for the inside entrance. They don't stop to look at a display. The best place to put a display is somewhere along the perimeter of the store. Bakery items always do real well if they're put near the checklanes.
Well that is something you would have to take up with corporate, they are the ones who pass down the Display Plan, I am a frozen food manager and I have a display plan just like the whole store does, I have to follow to be in compliance and if I dont follow it I could be fired. Easy as that, it might not seem like the right thing, but it might not be his choice. Just give him a chance.
