Waitrose has taken an early lead in the race to be crowned the best retailer for customer service, as it claimed a third store of the week award in the current Grocer 33 year.
Its Newark branch racked up an impressive 85 points. In terms of availability, it was only an out-of-stock on the own-label oat drink that prevented our shopper bagging a full basket.
The car park was tidy with trolleys neatly stacked and staff collecting and returning trolleys to the front of the store, which had a well-presented display of garden plants. Our shopper visited the toilets, which were clean and smelled fresh.
The store was easy to navigate, with clear signage, though there was some litter in the aisles. There were plenty of staff available, most of whom were knowledgeable, helpful and happy to take our shopper to the item he needed. One team member reported the missing oat drink would be back in the next day and suggested long-life alternatives. The checkout experience was pleasant.
This week’s runner-up was Tesco in Amesbury, with 79 points. Our shopper took 31 items home thanks to one-out-of stock and one not-stocked item. Aisles were wide and easy to get around, but our shopper felt the layout was not as logical as it could have been. There were three plant-based areas, which made it difficult to track down the vegan cheese.
Shop floor service was excellent, with staff taking her to items she needed, or checking availability. There was a little wait at the tills, and the checkout operator did not ask her for a loyalty card – a major omission given the focus Tesco places on Clubcard these days.
Morrisons in Glenrothes came a close third on 76 points. Availability was generally good but it was also what cost the store the win – our shopper only managed to pick up 29 items due to two out-of-stocks and two not-stocked products.
Staff were all well turned-out, mostly young and eager to help. One team member went to the storeroom to look for an item, another joined our shopper in a thorough search for the gin & tonic cans, while another fetched the prawn crackers on our shopper’s behalf.
Aisles were wide and clean, and though staff were restocking they did not cause any obstructions. There was a short wait at the checkouts as only five of 10 were open. Overall, however, our shopper left with a good impression of the store.
The top three stores all performed well this week, but there was a big drop to the other end of the table, with Asda Bodmin and Sainsbury’s Wembley scoring just 44 and 43 respectively.
There was just one out-of-stock at Asda, though seven items were not ranged. Availability seemed like a big issue across the store, however, with big gaps in many aisles. There was no evidence of restocking, though there were lots of staff carrying out picking for online grocery orders.
The biggest issue was store standards, with cardboard trays on the floor, boxes on the shelves, products in the wrong place and a spillage in the meat aisle that remained unattended. Staff were helpful but the visit was further soured by a long wait at the tills due to a lack of open checkouts.
Overall, customer service at Sainsbury’s was our shopper’s biggest gripe. Staff did not seem particularly clued up or keen to help. She said they “seemed too busy to want to interact and help me as a customer”. Availability was also an issue, with three out-of-stocks and two not-stocked items.
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