Winner: Waitrose Bracknell
Store manager: Graham Oakley
Opened: 2011
Size: 25,000 sq ft
Market share: 7.5%
Nearest rivals: Morrisons - 0.4 miles, Sainsbury’s - 0.9 miles, Iceland - 1 mile, Tesco - 2.3 miles
Store data source: Analysis by CACI. Call the market planning group on 020 7602 6000
You weren’t in the store when our shopper visited. How do you ensure it runs smoothly without you? Store managers always wonder how things run when they aren’t there, but I know my partners do a good job. It’s down to training and high expectations from partners to deliver the best service possible for our customers.
How do you maintain high store standards? We try to look at our shop floor standards through customers’ eyes to create a store they’re happy to shop in - it’s a relentless agenda for us as a team.
The branch got 100% for availability. How do you maintain that? All partners on the shop floor can interrogate data on each product, such as whether our store stocks it, if it’s out of stock and when the next delivery is coming in, through the multifunctional devices they all have on them. These are fantastic tools for staff to use to engage with customers.
Is your Sushi Daily counter popular with customers? Our customers really enjoy it. It is ideal for those who already like sushi and those who haven’t tried it before, as the counter offers plenty of free tastings.
What would you change about the store? I’d love to extend the car park to create more spaces, as we often get feedback from customers who struggle to find somewhere to park.
As the branch doesn’t offer online grocery delivery, is that something you’d like to add? Yes - it’s something more and more customers want but it would be difficult to offer space-wise for our store. We’ll be looking at whether we could offer delivery in the future.
How long have you worked for Waitrose? I’ve been branch manager for eight years and have worked for the partnership for 39 years, starting as a shop floor assistant while studying for my A Levels. I love that its business model is based on co-ownership and sharing knowledge.
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