i feel as if it may help motivate us to eally clean and cull threw the bad stuff though not so excited about the secret shop
The absolutely best thing you can do in handling your secret shopper (other than doing a good job of culling, of course) is GET ON THEIR GOOD SIDE. Seriously, it can make all the difference. Corporate on down knows there is going to be some bad produce here and there; roma tomatos are the worst, they can go bad literally within an hour.
Get on the secret shopper's good side, and they'll likely not stripe you up for it. I've seen this work.
My biggest concern is that this is just lip service. It really depends on the store manager, and their co managers. I have always done the kind of things that friendly and fresh advocate. There seems to be a problem with our co manager not agreeing with Ms Perry's advice concerning always taking the customer to the product, achknowledging, assisting, and appreciating. I did this with three customers the other morning and all the store manager had to say was he has been watching the deptartment and I was not filling the case. I suspect I will be emailing Ms Perry and asking her if her instructions had been overridden by this co manager. I really need to know. It was a form of intimidation, and I saw it for what it was. Iwill taLlk to the store manager and let them know I will be contacting Ms. Perry and/or Mr. McMullen to inquire if they were serious. Fresh is always something we strive for because that is how we were taught. Your first markdown is the best markdown! Customer First, along with Friendly and Fresh would be great if management were serious about it. Too often they are thinking of themselves, not the customer. My ingest concern is that store management thinks their involvement ends after showing the videos, we have a new manager so we shall see.
My biggest concern is that this is just lip service. It really depends on the store manager, and their co managers. I have always done the kind of things that friendly and fresh advocate. There seems to be a problem with our co manager not agreeing with Ms Perry's advice concerning always taking the customer to the product, achknowledging, assisting, and appreciating. I did this with three customers the other morning and all the store manager had to say was he has been watching the deptartment and I was not filling the case. I suspect I will be emailing Ms Perry and asking her if her instructions had been overridden by this co manager. I really need to know. It was a form of intimidation, and I saw it for what it was. Iwill taLlk to the store manager and let them know I will be contacting Ms. Perry and/or Mr. McMullen to inquire if they were serious. Fresh is always something we strive for because that is how we were taught. Your first markdown is the best markdown! Customer First, along with Friendly and Fresh would be great if management were serious about it. Too often they are thinking of themselves, not the customer. My ingest concern is that store management thinks their involvement ends after showing the videos, we have a new manager so we shall see.
Using that term "lip service" that can have all these rules but are they going to enforce them. Its one thing to put up reminders and suggestions but if they do not follow through and enforce them there just words. I think everyone here has seen store managers/co managers say do something and not follow through with it or just say it one time then forget it.
It's all part of the Strategic Refresh Initiative, designed to tie in with the Four Keys and the Customer 1st strategy. Yesterday, I went to a meeting along with members of management, department heads and other key individuals where Kroger assembled 1,600 employees, management and upper level executives to discuss the roll out of of this new strategy. Apparently, it's been done elsewhere in the division and it's been successful, so now, they're introducing Refresh 1.5.
The basic idea is make each store clean and inviting. New signs point to even lower prices (designed to better match Walmart's) and ensure that the produce looks as "fresh" and appealing as possible and the same goes for the meat in meat market. A focus on ensuring that tables and displays such as the ones in bakery remain "full" as well as a greater effort to reduce out of stocks in grocery also are a part of the program. The "friendly" part pertains to the employees doing more to make the customer's shopping experience as memorable and pleasant as possible and offer a shopping experience that can't be matched by competitors. Que-Vision and Faster Check-Out ties into this by having the fastest check out not just in grocery retail, but retail in general, and new signs are being made to reiterate Kroger's commitment to providing the fastest, friendliest, most quality service in retail, hands down, period.
It was mentioned at the meeting how Kroger has invested a significant amount of money into the Refresh initiative, but guess what? None of that money was said to be going toward adding hours or manpower to achieve these goals. What this basically means is, Kroger is raising the bar even higher and expecting everyone to work that much harder because competition from ALDI, Costco and HEB is intensifying while Walmart remains on top.
On a related note, I, as I'm sure others at the meeting, got a little tired of all the time that was spent praising Kroger employees and going on about how our "great people" are the reason the company has a healthy and bright future ahead and how day after day, terrific achievements and accomplishments are made in stores across the country. All this great praise and so many compliments when so many in the company are making minimum wage or slightly above minimum wage! It's no wonder why the competition is gaining ground... could it be because the competition pays better and offers employees more benefits, so the employees work harder and stick around longer? It couldn't be that, no, despite at the meeting, it was talked about how personal happiness leads to greater productivity and more happy, productive employees means better customer service and happier customers. Who knew Kroger had a CIO (Chief Inspirational Officer)? No wonder the hourly employees are paid so little... got to spend that money on signs, silly executive positions and big, executive bonuses!
-- Edited by GenesisOne on Thursday 20th of February 2014 02:51:39 PM
It was mentioned at the meeting how Kroger has invested a significant amount of money into the Refresh initiative, but guess what? None of that money was said to be going toward adding hours or manpower to achieve these goals. What this basically means is, Kroger is raising the bar even higher and expecting everyone to work that much harder because competition from ALDI, Costco and HEB is intensifying while Walmart remains on top.
On a related note, I, as I'm sure others at the meeting, got a little tired of all the time that was spent praising Kroger employees and going on about how our "great people" are the reason the company has a healthy and bright future ahead and how day after day, terrific achievements and accomplishments are made in stores across the country. All this great praise and so many compliments when so many in the company are making minimum wage or slightly above minimum wage! It's no wonder why the competition is gaining ground... could it be because the competition pays better and offers employees more benefits, so the employees work harder and stick around longer? It couldn't be that, no, despite at the meeting, it was talked about how personal happiness leads to greater productivity and more happy, productive employees means better customer service and happier customers. Who knew Kroger had a CIO (Chief Inspirational Officer)? No wonder the hourly employees are paid so little... got to spend that money on signs, silly executive positions and big, executive bonuses!
-- Edited by GenesisOne on Thursday 20th of February 2014 02:51:39 PM
I bet it was some person higher up/management that was saying "great people" over and over. More and more i have learned when you have someone claiming they are speaking for a huge group of people its not a accurate statement at ALL! So kroger has a CIO, i bet he hasnt been on the floor putting up stock or doing other jobs us supposed "happy" minimum wage workers are doing. I laugh how they can somehow connect personal happiness with productivity and better employees....HELLO this is kroger!
-- Edited by nightperson on Friday 21st of February 2014 12:52:21 AM
Some overlapping.
