The Tesco superstore in Maryhill Shopping Centre in Glasgow has claimed this week's Top Store Award, catapulting the retailer into joint first place on our Service Champs ranking. Our shopper was impressed by the high level of customer service, excellent range of products and strong availability - which is particularly noteworthy as only Tesco and Morrisons were able to provide a full The Grocer 33 list this week. Our shopper said the staff went above and beyond the call of duty to make his shop enjoyable and noted that "nothing was too much bother". The win is even more impressive as CACI data indicates the Tesco store is least suited to the area. Typical Tesco customers fall into the "comfortably off" category and only 2% of shoppers in this catchment fall into this category. Asda is more suited to the local area, according to the data. Graham Nisbet, who has been managing the store for just under a year, said the store was due to undergo some changes in the next couple of years. Outline planning permission has already been granted for the store to be extended into a Tesco Extra with a new street entrance as well as the existing shopping centre entrance. "It's very exciting and is the perfect time for an expansion," he said. "The past few years have seen a lot of young professionals move to the area and we have seen our customer base grow and expand."
How do you achieve such strong availability? In-store and throughout the company we have been at pains to tighten up our availability and it is obviously working. What I am particularly keen to do is to ensure we have the same levels of availability, whether it is 8am or 10.30pm, and that is something we are really managing to achieve. If you could change one thing about your store what would it be? There are so many exciting changes in the pipeline I don't even need to think of something else! This week we are being fitted for the new Tesco uniforms, which will be rolled out nationwide but are being trialled in a few stores first - ours being one of them. They are very modern and comfortable and will be the same for everyone on the team, even me. I think this is a great idea. I spend so much time out on the shop floor, working shoulder-to shoulder with my colleagues, and this helps remove some of the hierarchy and remind everyone we are all part of the same team. What percentage of products are non-food? I would say we are about 60% food and 40% non-food. We have a great variety, virtually everything you could want, from electricals and clothing to homeware. This definitely helps define us as a destination store, where people may come to buy a 38-inch telly or some clothes rather than picking something up on a whim during thier normal food shop - although of course that happens as well. What do you do for the local community? Tesco is very involved in working with the local community and we do get a lot of requests for help. We try and get as involved as possible and will do what we can with any request, from a tombola to fundraising. Who is your biggest competitor? There is an Asda store located less than a mile and a half away, but I am happy that we are doing enough not to worry.
Q&A with Graham Nisbet Store manager of the week
How do you achieve such strong availability? In-store and throughout the company we have been at pains to tighten up our availability and it is obviously working. What I am particularly keen to do is to ensure we have the same levels of availability, whether it is 8am or 10.30pm, and that is something we are really managing to achieve. If you could change one thing about your store what would it be? There are so many exciting changes in the pipeline I don't even need to think of something else! This week we are being fitted for the new Tesco uniforms, which will be rolled out nationwide but are being trialled in a few stores first - ours being one of them. They are very modern and comfortable and will be the same for everyone on the team, even me. I think this is a great idea. I spend so much time out on the shop floor, working shoulder-to shoulder with my colleagues, and this helps remove some of the hierarchy and remind everyone we are all part of the same team. What percentage of products are non-food? I would say we are about 60% food and 40% non-food. We have a great variety, virtually everything you could want, from electricals and clothing to homeware. This definitely helps define us as a destination store, where people may come to buy a 38-inch telly or some clothes rather than picking something up on a whim during thier normal food shop - although of course that happens as well. What do you do for the local community? Tesco is very involved in working with the local community and we do get a lot of requests for help. We try and get as involved as possible and will do what we can with any request, from a tombola to fundraising. Who is your biggest competitor? There is an Asda store located less than a mile and a half away, but I am happy that we are doing enough not to worry.
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