Posted on 02/21/2010 11:45:36 AM PST by Captain Peter Blood
About six months ago Wal-Mart instituted a new reorganization at the store level and I would like to know in this space of time what your shopping experience at Wal-Mart has been.
Before the reorganization there seemed to be enough help to service the customers, keep the floor stocked and take care of the store. Since the reorganization it seems the opposite is true.
Six months ago the store management structure was changed along with hiring and staffing procedures.
Wal-Mart now has a store manager, at least two shift managers, they supposedly handle all day to day operations; Several assistant managers, a new position called Zone Merchandise Supervisor, and the Department Managers.
The Zone Merchandise Supervisors are in charge of what is known as pads, those are large areas of the store such as Apparel, Entertainment, Grocery and Hard Lines. These people took over several of the functions that the assistant managers had except they are paid hourly. They supervise the Department managers and merchandise their areas. A lot of responsibility for basically a two dollar an hour raise.
All hiring is done through a district hiring office, there is no hiring allowed at the individual store anymore. Wal-Marts plan is for most all stores to be 70% part time workers and 30% full time. All hiring needs for a store have to be in the form of a requisition to the district hiring office, especially if it is for a full time position.
All hiring and staffing needs are based on the allotted hours for a particular department and more importantly how many pieces of merchandise are sold on an hourly and day to day basis. These figures are updated on a monthly and quarterly basis.
The implementation of this plan though has lead to staffing shortages and an inability for management, especially the Zone Merchandise Supervisors to be able to do their jobs as originally outlined.
The following is a typical day in Wal-Mart Store management routines:
At around 7:00 AM the Store Manager tours the store with the day Shift Manager where they take notes of what needs to be done.
At 8:00 AM there is a management staff meeting where various notes are given out to the assistant managers for their areas.
At 8:30 AM the assistant managers meet with their area Zone Merchandise Supervisor to give them the notes they got and the ZMS divvies those notes out to the area Department Managers to get done usually by the close of business that day.
Next up is, starting at 9:00 AM the Shift Manager, and a assistant manager along with an area ZMS do a more detailed tour of an area where more notes are generated that will be given to a specific Department manager to do in a specific time frame.
These type of tours go on all day to catch every ZMS’ area to tour at least one department.
Then at approximately 2:30 p.m. and again at 4:00 p.m. ZMS’s and then assistants meet with senior store management to see how many notes were completed for the day.
So you see the new structure is about giving out tour notes, things that need to be addressed or done in departments , Zones of the store and, a lot of meetings.
One of Sam Walton’s most famous quotes for Associates was that,” We’ll take care of the associates and they will take care of the customers”. I am not sure I believe that is true anymore.
What have your shopping experiences been in Wal-Mart these last several months? Have you found things about the same or have you found customer service lacking? Are the front check- out lanes always crowded with not enough cashiers?
I would like to hear feedback on this in order to gauge what is going on in other parts of the country.
Very little assistance from non-existent associates.
the two Bobs strike again!
I walked into a Wal-Mart one time around ten years ago and walked out 30 seconds later and have never gone back.
Target Yes
Wal-Mart No
Still disgusted with the removal of fabric departments and more disgusted with the so-called crafts they replaced them with.
It’s been OK. I go in, find what I want, pay for it, and leave. I really haven’t had a need for sales help, and would not go to Walmart in situations where I might need help.
“Are the front check- out lanes always crowded with not enough cashiers? “
Yes and they removed most of the self-checkout lanes that made up for the lack of warm bodies.
Employee helpfulness is good in the electronics and sporting goods departments at our local but sorely lacking everywhere else.
[then again, we know the guy who runs the sporting goods department, personally. YMMV]
great prices, not so great smell near the end of summer due to customers that don’t like to bathe.
true story; I shop elsewhere during those months.
I have NEVER seen this at Wal-mart. Long lines and cheap prices.
Every store is different (as expected)
Prices are still way better than major markets in my area
Somersworth, NH store has better stocked shelves than either Rochester or Portsmouth, NH
And... I have successfully made it past the greeter without being noticed the last two times I went in (I always play that game when going to WalMart).
Por que?
Como?
Donde?
Just like every store, same goes for WalMart.
I see what I want/know what I want..pay..leave.
I go to Costco. Walmart is a depressing place; people there do not like working there.
Walmart. I live in Denver Colorado and I had a Walmart built near me so I decided to go in and see how it looked and to buy some personal items. I couldn’t find my way around the store because all the signs were in Spanish. I felt like I walked from the US into Mexico. I will never go back.
I go there as rarely as possible but it doesn’t seem to matter what I need they don’t have it. I’ve begun to think of a it as exersize. I go in, walk all over the store because I no longer know where anything is, finally find where it is when it is in stock and walk out with nothing.
One Wednesday night I had 45 minutes to kill, I went in grabbed around 5 things and was in line for 30 minutes, then I was going to be late so I left my basket and skeedaddled.
Sam's still has it's value. They are my facvorite ATM. You buy a loaf of bread and get $20 to $100 as needed! In the age of the debit card this is a big savings!!!
Target does not sell ammo.....one reason why I won’t shop there.
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