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.
Never had a problem with Walmart. I love the selection, and I love buying stuff without ever being worried about getting ripped off (as has happened, on occasion, at just about every store that I’ve been to). I think that Walmart has its low mark-up on everything.
There comes a point were low prices no longer make up for the shoddy merchandise, grimy surroundings, non-existent customer service, and store staff that look like they were extras in a 3rd rate zombie movie. Wal-Mart is fast approaching that. Which is a major reason why I dropped Sam’s Club for Costco years ago.
My local WallyWorld is fantastic.
Very helpful and friendly associates.
Store and restrooms are always very clean.
Stockers always willing to help or kindly move out of your way when they are stocking.
Longer lines, less stock on the shelves. Many employees don’t want to be there but do enjoy texting while they work.
LOL. One of my favorite sites, I check it every week.
I don’t shop WM that often - since we were married about 3yrs ago, my wife took over all the regular shoppiing.
The WM near my office closed, and it’s replacement is too far away for me to get to at lunch.
Generally, I go for RV stuff, since they’re the only choice I have besides Camping World (too far away and too expensive) or online (often too slow). Sometimes I buy car stuff if the price is right.
I shop there at Christmas a lot, as they seem to be the first to go with 24 hour operation, and I do my shopping in the wee hours of the morning to avoid the crowds.
I can’t say I noticed a change as of late, but then I go in expecting not to be able to find anyone to help me, and to have to wait in line to get out. I did notice that large parts of the store were completely unstaffed, which did seem odd. Usually, I just expect people around who don’t know anything about the products on the shelf - but I didn’t see one associate in the personal care, gardening, home, or auto/hunting/RV departments.
On that last trip, I was there primarily to buy a pair of Tracfones, which IIRC, are about $20. The model I wanted was in stock, but had one of those locked doohickies on the wire. Strange - the $100 cards, which are nearly the equivalent of money and easy to take and conceal, where there for the taking. Maybe they had to be activated. Anyhow, more expensive phones (and other items througout the store) were not locked. That meant I had to get the one associate in electronics, who was running the register back there, to leave his post checking people out so he could unlock my two $20 items.
Not a huge deal, but had I been there at another time, could have been more of a PITA.
That reminds me, a week or so ago, I went into a Walmart I discovered was on the way home from work to check it out. Stopped there right after work at about 5:15. It was a zoo. I know it isn’t WM’s fault that it had a lot of customers, but half the registers were unstaffed, and the remainder had people lined up into the aisle. Lots of staff wandering around though, except they were eating (I kid you not), talking on their cells, talking to each other - anything but making the store operate. I’ll never set foot in that store again, and it turns out to be super-convenient for me - I could have been a regular customer.
I have a love/hate relationship with WalMart. Love the prices and the fact I can get everything I need in one stop. They have the best gas prices in town. My store is a fairly new supercenter, clean and well stocked. But it is under staffed on the front end and lines are long. And for some reason they keep most of the self service registers closed. I hate the clientele. Sloppy, pushy and rude. Horrible parents — they are verbally abusive to their children. And don’t get me started on the Mexicans and their unattended children or the Spanish signs in the store. I’ve learned to go before 8:30 AM and avoid most of the irritants.
I go to WM every 2 weeks. The stores are laid out much better like a department store. Everything else is the same.
I do all my major shopping at Walmart. The stores in Moscow Id (northern part of state) & Jerome Id (southern part of state) are great. I save lots of $$ and enjoy my time there.
BM for later. Wifey is an CSR for Wally world
I also do not like the fact that Walmart no longer sells Plush Pippin Apple pies (frozen, uncooked pies that you bake in the oven.). These were the best Apple pies in the entire store and we have been buying them from Walmart for years. Now with their "restructuring" two of our favorite brands/items are no longer available and no we are not happy with this "change". So I am now spending less money at Wal-Mart. "New and Improved" is not always new OR improved!
The service is also lacking... less people forced to do more work = LESS CUSTOMER SERVICE!
Avoid Wal-Mart like the plague except for inexpensive ammo.
Before:
Managers standing around talking to each other blocking the aisles.
Employees standing around complaining about how much they hate working there.
Long check out lines with never enough checkers.
Crap from China not worth the prices they charge.
Now:
Less managers standing around talking to each other blocking the aisles.
Employees standing around complaining about how much they hate working there.
Long check out lines with never enough checkers.
Crap from China not worth the prices they charge.
Now insult you by charging .15 a bag if you don’t bring your own bag.
Walmart has phased out a lot of firearms in stores and from what I hear the ammo is the next to go. The guy in sporting goods told me that orders were not being delivered and it was NOT the suppliers fault !
My experience has always been less than average, but what can one expect for low prices.
I have noticed that the cashier problem is better than it used to be and the lines are not as long. But they are still long.
My biggest complaint was the quality of the merchandice at the Supercenter. You might pay a little less for a box of crackers, for example, but then you get it home they’re stale or smashed, or find that the package of hotdogs you just bought were open. It seemed like every time I went there at least half of the stuff I bought had some serious defect that made it worth far less than what I paid.
It’s gotten better and I don’t have so much of a problem now, but I refused to go there for quite a while, willing to pay more at a regular grocery store than wast my money on cruddy stuff.
I go to Wal-Mart about once a month, but I’ve never really liked the place. I’ve always found it awfully depressing. It’s true, each time I enter a Wal-Mart, I’m just immediately put in a sour mood. Mainly, because in those moments, I’m always thinking back to all the various old-style department-stores of my youth, and how very inviting and viscerally appealing they used to be. Compared with those, Wal-Mart and its high-ceilings, ultra-cluttered aisles, and warehouse ambiance, seems a dreary step downward on the cultural scale.
Dittos! I shop the WalMart superstore every week. I buy all my groceries there, my ammo, and household items. I’ve asked a passing employee for help and never been turned down, and usually the person walks me to the item shelf to be sure I find what I ask about. On occasion I’ve even accidentally had a manager take thirty minutes to help me dig out something I’m looking for in clothing, for instance. The store keeps a running total of items in inventory and when soemthing shows in inventory yet it is not rigth on top, a clerk will help to locate it even if boxes below shelving have to be opened and explored. To be sure, how a store runs is very much a function of the abilities of the management. My local WalMart Super has excellent management, obviously. AND, you can order an online item and pick it up in a department of WalMart.
“The last time my sister went to walmart the bonehead ghetto cashier asked her if she “had enough kids” (she’s got 8 beautiful children ranging in age from 3 to 16). My sister answered her, “Somebody’s got to contribute bright, beautiful children to the gene pool.” ‘Nuff said”
LOL! That’s a good one.
Somedays when I’m fiesty I reply “someday these kids will support our aging population even though they themselves will receive no support in return”
Where I used to live, WM was the only game in town. Now I’m in Chapel Hill NC and have been to that pit maybe 7-8 times in the past few months. Last week I asked an associate if they carried pasta machines. Que? She had no freaking clue.
At least in PA, the associates all spoke English and tried to be helpful. Last week (same visit) the older AA Wal-Mart clerk carded me for smokes (I’m pushing 50 here!!!), and said it was “policy” to card everybody. Come on now.
Hate the place with a passion and avoid it at all costs.
Now that you mention it, there have seemed to be a little fewer associates on duty, and fewer cashiers too...There was an article posted to FR a few days ago about how the selection is being trimmed, with more and more name brands being culled in favor of wal mart’s own Great Value label. Last time I went there (yesterday) I looked , and it seemed to me that that is an accurate statement : There do seem to be fewer brands for any given category (eg, pasta sauce) and more and more GV things on the shelves.
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