Deciding the winner of this week's Top Store Award was another close call. Asda and Tesco both provided our shoppers with brimming baskets so customer service became the deciding factor. Asda won as our shopper at Asda Gateshead was offered help packing goods while our Tesco shopper was not.
Our Asda shopper added that the store was clean and tidy, and that he was not given any grief by packing trolleys. Staff on the shop floor were willing to assist with all his queries, as well as taking him directly to items he could not find.
Meanwhile, our Morrisons shopper was showered in the same high standards of customer service that we have come to expect from the retailer. She said that the store was spotless and praised its excellent merchandising and the attentiveness of staff on the shop floor.
At Sainsbury's there was no sign of packing trolleys in the aisles and efficient merchandising meant our shopper had no trouble finding all that she needed. However, only six of the store's 18 checkouts were in operation, meaning that the wait was slightly longer than at some of the other retailers.
Somerfield's Great Missenden store appeared clean and aisles were clear, but our shopper was not offered help packing goods.
The Waitrose we visited was clean and well-merchandised, but there were quite a few shelf stackers in the aisles. Staff on the shop floor were helpful, but our shopperQ&A with Hugh Kitching Manager of the Week
When did you get into retail, and have you always wanted to be a store manager? I started my career in retail as soon as I left school. At the time I didn't really know what I wanted to do career-wise. However, I enjoyed the work that I was doing and I very quickly realised that if you are prepared to work hard, there are many opportunities open to you in this industry. So I stayed, and I have never looked back once. I joined Asda in 1990, and started my first appointment as store manager in 1991.
For how long have you managed the Gateshead store? I have been at Gateshead for four years, although this is my second stint here, as I opened the store nine years ago in 1997.
What were you doing in between? I moved around quite a bit and ran a number of stores in the north east of England before coming back to Gateshead, which is something I always wanted to do as it is a truly great store.
What's it like to open a new store?
I have opened three stores in my time as manager and it's always a really special experience to watch the store grow from nothing to a successful operation. It's incredibly rewarding.
What is the most enjoyable part of your job? Achieving results and exceeding your customers' expectations. I want to deliver excellent availability and customer service. It's a fantastic feeling when a customer comes up to you and compliments the store. We get a lot of letters from customers too and that's rewarding. Another great bit is watching your colleagues progress to be managers.
What is your greatest challenge? The competition. There is so much out there now that if you don't look after your customers properly there are plenty of other places they can go. What are your plans for the future? I'm very happy at Gateshead and have no plans to leave. We have an exciting time coming up. The store is due to be extended. We are building a mezzanine level that will add another 20,000 sq ft and allow us to expand our non food ranges. All very exciting!this week a year ago The winner was...
Tony Guy was gracing the page of our Top Store section this time last year after Tesco's St Mellons store in Cardiff won the Top Store Award. Deputy manager Guy had accepted the award on behalf of his store manager Lorna Harris who was away at the time.
Guy said that the store was working to sharpen its focus on availability and become a one-stop shop by extending its non food range. When The Grocer called to catch up with Guy we found that we had just missed him - he left St Mellons just two months ago after a year and a half and is now working for Tesco's regional office getting lots of travelling in.
Lorna Harris is still at the helm of Tesco St Mellons, well into her second year, and loving it.
Our Asda shopper added that the store was clean and tidy, and that he was not given any grief by packing trolleys. Staff on the shop floor were willing to assist with all his queries, as well as taking him directly to items he could not find.
Meanwhile, our Morrisons shopper was showered in the same high standards of customer service that we have come to expect from the retailer. She said that the store was spotless and praised its excellent merchandising and the attentiveness of staff on the shop floor.
At Sainsbury's there was no sign of packing trolleys in the aisles and efficient merchandising meant our shopper had no trouble finding all that she needed. However, only six of the store's 18 checkouts were in operation, meaning that the wait was slightly longer than at some of the other retailers.
Somerfield's Great Missenden store appeared clean and aisles were clear, but our shopper was not offered help packing goods.
The Waitrose we visited was clean and well-merchandised, but there were quite a few shelf stackers in the aisles. Staff on the shop floor were helpful, but our shopperQ&A with Hugh Kitching Manager of the Week
When did you get into retail, and have you always wanted to be a store manager? I started my career in retail as soon as I left school. At the time I didn't really know what I wanted to do career-wise. However, I enjoyed the work that I was doing and I very quickly realised that if you are prepared to work hard, there are many opportunities open to you in this industry. So I stayed, and I have never looked back once. I joined Asda in 1990, and started my first appointment as store manager in 1991.
For how long have you managed the Gateshead store? I have been at Gateshead for four years, although this is my second stint here, as I opened the store nine years ago in 1997.
What were you doing in between? I moved around quite a bit and ran a number of stores in the north east of England before coming back to Gateshead, which is something I always wanted to do as it is a truly great store.
What's it like to open a new store?
I have opened three stores in my time as manager and it's always a really special experience to watch the store grow from nothing to a successful operation. It's incredibly rewarding.
What is the most enjoyable part of your job? Achieving results and exceeding your customers' expectations. I want to deliver excellent availability and customer service. It's a fantastic feeling when a customer comes up to you and compliments the store. We get a lot of letters from customers too and that's rewarding. Another great bit is watching your colleagues progress to be managers.
What is your greatest challenge? The competition. There is so much out there now that if you don't look after your customers properly there are plenty of other places they can go. What are your plans for the future? I'm very happy at Gateshead and have no plans to leave. We have an exciting time coming up. The store is due to be extended. We are building a mezzanine level that will add another 20,000 sq ft and allow us to expand our non food ranges. All very exciting!this week a year ago The winner was...
Tony Guy was gracing the page of our Top Store section this time last year after Tesco's St Mellons store in Cardiff won the Top Store Award. Deputy manager Guy had accepted the award on behalf of his store manager Lorna Harris who was away at the time.
Guy said that the store was working to sharpen its focus on availability and become a one-stop shop by extending its non food range. When The Grocer called to catch up with Guy we found that we had just missed him - he left St Mellons just two months ago after a year and a half and is now working for Tesco's regional office getting lots of travelling in.
Lorna Harris is still at the helm of Tesco St Mellons, well into her second year, and loving it.
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