"George Leppla" > wrote in message
...
> On 12/20/2012 10:57 PM, sf wrote:
>> On Thu, 20 Dec 2012 19:08:50 -0600, "billn" > wrote:
>>
>>> I have a WalMart Market a couple miles from my house. My experience is
>>> complete opposite. The store is clean and well-kept and the employees
>>> are,
>>> and I'm not exaggerating, the friendliest, most polite people of any
>>> store
>>> around here. You cannot pass one without them saying "Hi" or "How are
>>> you
>>> doing today".
>>
>> Don't kid yourself. That's just store/corporate "training".
>>
>
> I think it goes beyond that. When I was in retail management, I noticed
> that there were "happy" stores... stores where the employees seems
> friendlier than other stores that were pretty close by. I noticed that
> the managers of the "happy" stores tended to be more outgoing and friendly
> and approachable to their employees. Managers who were "by the book"
> types tended to have less friendly stores (and a higher employee turnover
> rate).
>
> A buddy and I decided to try this in our own stores... we tried to "walk
> the floor" every day and said hello to every employee and listen to them
> if they had suggestions, etc. We got to know them a people, not just
> employees. It didn't take long to see a difference in attitude.

Very true. I believe they called it: "Management by Walking Around". We
had a new manager at the college bookstore, and the guy came around and
talked to employees-- while they were working. And we were aghast when he
actually got on the register and rang people up for about 15 minutes!

The previous manager used to just sit in her office and drink during her
lunch hour. One of the cashiers did coke in the bathroom to get through her
shift. (I wondered why she was always snorting kinda loud once in awhile
when working.)

The guy who managed by walking around was the best manager I've ever had.
You felt valued and that he genuinely cared, and actually knew something
about what you did. Most managers seem to have no idea what their employees
really do.

I'd rather shop at a store that has happy employees, even if it costs a
little more.