Outstanding customer service and a well-merchandised store have helped Asda's Benton branch in Newcastle upon Tyne pick up this week's Top Store award, strengthening Asda's position at the top of our customer service leader board. Our shopper was impressed with the friendly and helpful staff and the store's clear, spacious aisles. Asda was also the only retailer to provide a full basket of items this week. Store manager Hugh Kitching clearly hasn't let standards slip since he picked up a Top Store award in November 2006. As CACI data indicate, Asda is the best-suited store to the Benton area with the majority of residents in the hard-pressed category. But despite the latest triumph, Kitching isn't convinced his branch is reaching its full potential. A housing development is being built next door to his store and Kitching is keeping his fingers crossed that ambitious expansion plans to turn the 60,000 sq ft store into a Supercentre to cater for the new residents will be approved. "There is an old, disused garden centre adjacent to us and we are currently waiting to hear if we have planning permission to demolish it," said Kitching. "We will either expand our car park or add another 30,000 sq ft of space. I'd like to do both. The housing estate being built next door to us should eventually provide us with enough new customers to justify extending the store."



Q&A with Hugh Kitching Store manager of the week


 


What is selling well at the moment? Our counters have seen fantastic sales in the past few weeks and rotisserie, deli and fresh produce are doing exceptionally well. This is because the quality of the produce has improved and we are receiving deliveries faster than ever. The guys at the depot are also being more selective about what they send to us. Toys have also been selling well because we ran a half-price sale to tie in with the Easter school holidays. Have you been working on making improvements over a long period? We've seen the biggest changes since we started the Challenge 20 depot policy last year. This is scheme for our depot workers, which guarantees products arrive at our store fresh and haven't been left out of the fridge for no longer than 20 minutes. How has your store changed since you last picked up our award? We now have a successful home delivery service. We currently deliver to 40% more homes than last year and I expect we will have to increase our seven-strong fleet of vans before long. I put the rise in popularity down to the fact that people are pressed for time. The service also provides us with a daily measure of availability. What is your competition like? Fierce. We have three large Morrisons stores nearby and a Tesco 10 minutes away, as well as other Asda branches. However, our customers are very loyal and I believe the expertise of our staff gives us the edge over rivals. They are passionate about providing shoppers with the best service in Newcastle. Do you get involved with the local community and how? We try and do our bit for the community. At the moment we are running the Go Green For Schools campaign, presenting customers with vouchers when they use old carrier bags or a bag for life instead of using a new bag. They can then exchange the vouchers for school equipment. We also had 60 members of staff picking up litter in the local area, which isn't the nicest job, but they had fun anyway.


 


Asda Benton, Newcastle upon Tyne


0 - Though this Asda was packed with customers when our shopper visited, staff were really helpful and guided him to the location of various items. Availability was excellent and all 33 products on the list were available. A sufficient 18 of the 30 checkouts were open, which meant queues were processed quickly. We visited on 28 March at 9.32am. Our shop lasted one hour and 13 minutes. Time spent at the checkout was five minutes.


 


Morrisons Crowborough, East Sussex


0 - There were no gaps on the shelves of this well-designed Morrisons although the required size of Stella Artois was not stocked. The signage was clear and the floor staff were friendly. The checkout operator was polite but he did not recognise the loose garlic and had to ask our shopper what it was. We visited on 28 March at 6.45pm. Our shop lasted one hour and 10 minutes. Time spent at the checkout was seven minutes.


 


Sainsbury's Maidstone, Kent


2 - After learning the delivery of tomato purée had not yet arrived, our shopper was guided to customer services by a sales assistant to find out when the next batch was coming in. The Hula Hoops were out of stock and the chopped tomatoes were not stocked. Although the aisles were quite narrow, they were tidy. We visited on 28 March at 9.05am. Our shop lasted one hour and five minutes. Time spent at the checkout was six minutes.


 


Somerfield Chandlers Ford, Hampshire


2 - There was a decent variety of special offers to choose from at this Somerfield and aside from a couple of gaps on shelves, availability was fine. Floor assistants did their best to find the required sizes of Marmite and McCain oven chips, but they were not stocked. Only three of the six checkouts were operating, which was not enough. We visited on 28 March at 10.30am. Our shop lasted 45 minutes. Time spent at the checkout was 14 minutes.


 


Tesco Enniskillen, County Fermanagh


1 - This Tesco was clean and floor staff were polite, but the checkout operator continued chatting to the previous customer, who was a friend of hers, instead of greeting our shopper. The potatoes, Stella Artois, sausages and Anchor butter were not stocked. Customers were offered a free potato peeler as part of a promotion. We visited on 28 March at 6.25pm. Our shop lasted one hour and 10 minutes. Time spent at the checkout was four minutes.


 


Waitrose Lichfield, Staffordshire


0 - This store had only recently opened so fixtures and fittings were gleaming. Staff were helpful and well-mannered, and although packing trolleys were being unloaded, the aisles were wide enough for shoppers to pass by. The Wall's sausages were not stocked. We visited on 28 March at 2.45pm. Our shop lasted 45 minutes. Time spent at the checkout was eight minutes.


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