With three stores boasting 100% availability this week, competition was tough, but Asda in Dalgety Bay pipped its rivals to the post to win the top store award by providing a flawless shopping experience.
An easy-to-navigate layout combined with friendly staff and no checkout queues meant the shopping was done and dusted within 30 minutes. Not only did the checkout assistant offer to help pack the items, she also offered our shopper a bag for life – the only cashier to do so this week. Our shopper was also impressed by the number of offers and the store’s bright and airy décor.
Tesco in Swansea provided a full basket too, but there was a 15-minute wait for a parking space. However, queues were short and the checkout assistant was chatty.
Also boasting perfect availability was Waitrose in Towcester, where staff were busily shelf-stacking. However, there were long queues, as the two basket-only checkouts were closed.
Queues were short at Sainsbury's in High Wycombe and there were plenty of staff, but one item was out of stock. Shoppers were also charged for parking and two of the three ticket machines were broken.
Morrisons in Caterham also had one item out of stock and our shopper was surprised that a clearly signposted puddle still had not been cleared by the end of his 40-minute shopping trip.
Winner: Andrew Midgley, store manager, Asda, Dalgety Bay
How are customers taking to the new Asda Direct service?
Really well. The service launched just last week and customers can pick up a catalogue in store and order what they want from a huge range of non-food products. They can then place their orders online and the items are delivered to their doorsteps. We have only just launched the catalogues in store and two pallets have been emptied within a week.
How are you finding managing a fairly new store?
We opened in July this year. It is the first time I have been a manager and I have learned so much. It is a fantastic challenge. I learn something new every day and each day is different. It is not the same as working in a larger store. Everyone is a lot closer and a lot more involved in the business. We all need to know what is happening in all areas of the store.
How have shoppers responded to the store?
Our store and a Tesco Metro are the only supermarkets in Dalgety Bay. Customers love the fact that we can provide them a wide choice. We are the only retailer to offer electronic goods, clothing and a fresh pizza counter in the area. The pizza counter is doing particularly well at the moment and we are one of the few smaller Asda stores that are fortunate enough to offer this service. For now we are looking at what customers like and what they want from our store. We have had requests from people asking us to stock certain products and we are seeing if we can get them.
Will you be hiring more staff over the Christmas period?
We have no plans to recruit any extra temporary staff at the moment. We are giving staff the option of doing overtime over the busy period and are giving them forms to fill out stating when they are available. It costs the company more, but we want to give them as much work as they want and the opportunity to take home some extra cash especially at this time.
How did the store celebrate its opening?
We recently held our first store party and it was great. Around a hundred colleagues attended and we hired out a function room. We are planning our new year party and want to make it a really nice and special evening to celebrate the end of our first year.
An easy-to-navigate layout combined with friendly staff and no checkout queues meant the shopping was done and dusted within 30 minutes. Not only did the checkout assistant offer to help pack the items, she also offered our shopper a bag for life – the only cashier to do so this week. Our shopper was also impressed by the number of offers and the store’s bright and airy décor.
Tesco in Swansea provided a full basket too, but there was a 15-minute wait for a parking space. However, queues were short and the checkout assistant was chatty.
Also boasting perfect availability was Waitrose in Towcester, where staff were busily shelf-stacking. However, there were long queues, as the two basket-only checkouts were closed.
Queues were short at Sainsbury's in High Wycombe and there were plenty of staff, but one item was out of stock. Shoppers were also charged for parking and two of the three ticket machines were broken.
Morrisons in Caterham also had one item out of stock and our shopper was surprised that a clearly signposted puddle still had not been cleared by the end of his 40-minute shopping trip.
Winner: Andrew Midgley, store manager, Asda, Dalgety Bay
How are customers taking to the new Asda Direct service?
Really well. The service launched just last week and customers can pick up a catalogue in store and order what they want from a huge range of non-food products. They can then place their orders online and the items are delivered to their doorsteps. We have only just launched the catalogues in store and two pallets have been emptied within a week.
How are you finding managing a fairly new store?
We opened in July this year. It is the first time I have been a manager and I have learned so much. It is a fantastic challenge. I learn something new every day and each day is different. It is not the same as working in a larger store. Everyone is a lot closer and a lot more involved in the business. We all need to know what is happening in all areas of the store.
How have shoppers responded to the store?
Our store and a Tesco Metro are the only supermarkets in Dalgety Bay. Customers love the fact that we can provide them a wide choice. We are the only retailer to offer electronic goods, clothing and a fresh pizza counter in the area. The pizza counter is doing particularly well at the moment and we are one of the few smaller Asda stores that are fortunate enough to offer this service. For now we are looking at what customers like and what they want from our store. We have had requests from people asking us to stock certain products and we are seeing if we can get them.
Will you be hiring more staff over the Christmas period?
We have no plans to recruit any extra temporary staff at the moment. We are giving staff the option of doing overtime over the busy period and are giving them forms to fill out stating when they are available. It costs the company more, but we want to give them as much work as they want and the opportunity to take home some extra cash especially at this time.
How did the store celebrate its opening?
We recently held our first store party and it was great. Around a hundred colleagues attended and we hired out a function room. We are planning our new year party and want to make it a really nice and special evening to celebrate the end of our first year.
No comments yet