Vernon Chalmers

Also read - Woolworths poor service standards / conlusion

On Sunday 18 April 2010 at approximately 11:30 I visited the Woolworths Food store in the Paddocks Shopping Centre Milnerton. Déjà vu of two weeks earlier – the familiar customer queuing and unfortunately the poor body language show from [the same] uninterested store manager. I regrettably fail to believe that Woolworths regional management in Cape Town can rest on weekends knowing / not knowing that this Food store is managed with no gusto and / or retail excellence that their brand is suppose to represent. With less than 50% occupancy at the point of sale area (both Sundays) the store manager showed no enthusiasm to be involved in any retail process.

In my request for more staff at the cash points I was told that they are busy with stock-take. Mind boggling stuff indeed. 10 to 15 people queuing, a store abuzz with shoppers and a store manager with no direction and vigilance to manage one of their most important retail functions.

On both store visits I observed the store manager displaying exactly the same behaviour – a disposition with no real intensity / interest of the movement of [any] customer past the point of sale area. I just cannot believe the lack of retail management mindfulness in such a relatively small store.

I hold the Woolworths regional management’s lack of leadership responsible for this dismal  display of customer service (unfortunately displayed by so many national brands in the Milnerton area). I don’t think my intention of publicizing these negative experiences are exaggerated – I just cannot see why customers must bare the brunt for poor store management week in and week out. Maybe it is a lack of training or maybe Woolworths regional management is under the impression all is well in this store - I beg to differ on the last account, but this Woolworths store in the Paddocks Shopping Centre will not see me again soon.

Maybe Woolworths regional management could learn from this excellent experience.

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