Asda has been having a tough time in our customer services ratings with only one Top Store award since June, but it has notched up a second victory after its Frome branch in Somerset provided this week's only full basket. Our shopper said the 32,500 sq ft out-of-town store was immaculately clean and fully stocked with a variety of top-quality products. The staff were cheerful, chatting with shoppers while going about their normal duties, she added. Our shopper visited the store the day before the Rugby World Cup Final - an occasion that the staff and store manager Andrew Ball thoroughly enjoyed, from a business angle at least. "Sales of beer started to build more noticeably after England progressed through the group stages and came to a head on the Saturday of the final," said Ball. "Saturday is always a strong day for alcohol anyway, but this was special. It's a shame it had to end!" The store has done well despite heavy competition from three Tesco stores, two Sainsbury's and a Morrisons all within 20 minutes of Asda. Our CACI data also indicates Asda is the least-suited store to the affluent Frome area. Superior service, including access to an in-store chaplain, gives it the edge over the competition, said Ball. "The Grocer has found Asda has the lowest prices, and its shopper saw how strong our availability is, but our service puts us above our local competition."
Does your store still have a resident chaplain? Yes, our in-store chaplain is there to chat to colleagues and customers. It's a voluntary programme, which allows the church to get involved with the local community. The chaplain initially wandered around the store on an adhoc basis, but he proved so popular that we are now trialling a fixed surgery-style format. It's an interesting store feature. What products are selling well at the moment? Sales of organic products are growing and also fresh fish sales, especially since the Ian Wright adverts. We aim to have an organic option in every food range across the store. Locally sourced products have also been selling well and the popularity of our fresh cream tea set, which includes local clotted cream, a scone and jam, has surprised me. Compared with the sales picture created by the warmer weather last autumn, sales of fruit and bread rolls have dropped because of the quick change in weather this year. However, our George coats have been a real hit with the ladies. What would you like to change about your store? I would like to make it bigger by 10,000 to 20,000 sq ft. It would give us more room for clothing and non-food, and also allow us to expand our fresh produce section. When we opened the store two years ago we had to divert a river and move two flood plains, which created two lakes near the store. The area is now a nature reserve and popular with bird watchers. Our shoppers can see rare birds such as the Bonaparte's Gull outside. When were you last in the local press? We host a lot of charity events, which means we tend to be in the local papers every week. Staff took part in a fashion show at the most recent event and dressed up in clothes from the new George clothing range. It's great PR.
Availability
Asda Frome, Somerset
0 - This large out-of-town Asda was this week's clear winner with the only full basket, meticulously clean aisles, strong availability and caring customer service. All 15 checkouts were open and the checkout assistant was happy to clean up beetroot juice that had spilt from the conveyor belt. An all-round top performance. We visited on 19 October at 11.20am. Our shop lasted 59 minutes. Time spent at the checkout was six minutes.
morrisons Harrogate, North Yorkshire
0 - Although this Morrisons had no out-of-stock items, it did not stock the required sizes of Birds Eye Garden Peas and washing powder. However, the store was clean and tidy and the checkout operator said hello and goodbye. Of the 28 checkouts, a sufficient 26 were operating. We visited on 19 October at 9.40am. Our shop lasted one hour and 18 minutes. Time spent at the checkout was five minutes.
sainsbury's Preston, Lancashire
4 - There were a lot of gaps on the special offer shelves at this
Sainsbury's branch, especially in the wine aisle. Long queues at the checkouts built up because only 16 of the 29 checkouts were open. The frozen garlic baguettes, free-range eggs, ice cream and Imperial Leather soap were all out of stock. We visited on 19 October at 5.12pm. Our shop lasted one hour and 16 minutes. Time spent at the checkout was seven minutes.
somerfield Lindfield, West Sussex
3 - This small store only had four checkouts and two members of staff. The fruit and vegetable section looked bare and the celery, pears and Jacob's Creek Chardonnay were out of stock. Eight other items from the list were not stocked. However, the checkout operator was friendly. We visited on 19 October at 6.05pm. Our shop lasted 25 minutes. Time spent at the checkout was six minutes.
tesco Baguley, Greater Manchester
0 - Our shopper felt the constant tannoy announcements at this Tesco store were unnecessary and irritating. The required size of Birds Eye frozen peas was not stocked and the store layout was not very logical, according to our shopper, who also found many related items were in different parts of the store. We visited on 19 October at 1.35pm. Our shop lasted one hour. Time spent at the checkout was nine minutes.
waitrose West Ealing, West London
1 - There were a few packing trolleys in the aisles of this Waitrose branch, but there weren't many shoppers in the store so it wasn't congested. Floor staff were polite and helpful but the checkout operator was grumpy. The red seedless grapes were sold out. We visited on 19 October at 5.55pm. Our shop lasted 40 minutes. Time spent at the checkout was two minutes.
Q&A with Andrew Ball Store manager of the week
Does your store still have a resident chaplain? Yes, our in-store chaplain is there to chat to colleagues and customers. It's a voluntary programme, which allows the church to get involved with the local community. The chaplain initially wandered around the store on an adhoc basis, but he proved so popular that we are now trialling a fixed surgery-style format. It's an interesting store feature. What products are selling well at the moment? Sales of organic products are growing and also fresh fish sales, especially since the Ian Wright adverts. We aim to have an organic option in every food range across the store. Locally sourced products have also been selling well and the popularity of our fresh cream tea set, which includes local clotted cream, a scone and jam, has surprised me. Compared with the sales picture created by the warmer weather last autumn, sales of fruit and bread rolls have dropped because of the quick change in weather this year. However, our George coats have been a real hit with the ladies. What would you like to change about your store? I would like to make it bigger by 10,000 to 20,000 sq ft. It would give us more room for clothing and non-food, and also allow us to expand our fresh produce section. When we opened the store two years ago we had to divert a river and move two flood plains, which created two lakes near the store. The area is now a nature reserve and popular with bird watchers. Our shoppers can see rare birds such as the Bonaparte's Gull outside. When were you last in the local press? We host a lot of charity events, which means we tend to be in the local papers every week. Staff took part in a fashion show at the most recent event and dressed up in clothes from the new George clothing range. It's great PR.
Availability
Asda Frome, Somerset
0 - This large out-of-town Asda was this week's clear winner with the only full basket, meticulously clean aisles, strong availability and caring customer service. All 15 checkouts were open and the checkout assistant was happy to clean up beetroot juice that had spilt from the conveyor belt. An all-round top performance. We visited on 19 October at 11.20am. Our shop lasted 59 minutes. Time spent at the checkout was six minutes.
morrisons Harrogate, North Yorkshire
0 - Although this Morrisons had no out-of-stock items, it did not stock the required sizes of Birds Eye Garden Peas and washing powder. However, the store was clean and tidy and the checkout operator said hello and goodbye. Of the 28 checkouts, a sufficient 26 were operating. We visited on 19 October at 9.40am. Our shop lasted one hour and 18 minutes. Time spent at the checkout was five minutes.
sainsbury's Preston, Lancashire
4 - There were a lot of gaps on the special offer shelves at this
Sainsbury's branch, especially in the wine aisle. Long queues at the checkouts built up because only 16 of the 29 checkouts were open. The frozen garlic baguettes, free-range eggs, ice cream and Imperial Leather soap were all out of stock. We visited on 19 October at 5.12pm. Our shop lasted one hour and 16 minutes. Time spent at the checkout was seven minutes.
somerfield Lindfield, West Sussex
3 - This small store only had four checkouts and two members of staff. The fruit and vegetable section looked bare and the celery, pears and Jacob's Creek Chardonnay were out of stock. Eight other items from the list were not stocked. However, the checkout operator was friendly. We visited on 19 October at 6.05pm. Our shop lasted 25 minutes. Time spent at the checkout was six minutes.
tesco Baguley, Greater Manchester
0 - Our shopper felt the constant tannoy announcements at this Tesco store were unnecessary and irritating. The required size of Birds Eye frozen peas was not stocked and the store layout was not very logical, according to our shopper, who also found many related items were in different parts of the store. We visited on 19 October at 1.35pm. Our shop lasted one hour. Time spent at the checkout was nine minutes.
waitrose West Ealing, West London
1 - There were a few packing trolleys in the aisles of this Waitrose branch, but there weren't many shoppers in the store so it wasn't congested. Floor staff were polite and helpful but the checkout operator was grumpy. The red seedless grapes were sold out. We visited on 19 October at 5.55pm. Our shop lasted 40 minutes. Time spent at the checkout was two minutes.
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