六级实时阅读之小关键致使零售业的成功.docx

六级实时阅读之小关键致使零售业的成功.docx

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Detailkeytoretailsuccess

Wal-Mart'snewChinaCEOisasticklerforgettingthingsjustso

NewZealanderGregForancausedquiteastirbyvisitingaWalmartstoreinWangjing,alargeneighborhoodinnorthernBeijing.

Wal-Martcurrentlyhas380storesinChina.Salesgrowthinthecountrywasamongthehighestfortheglobalretailerin2012.[Photo/ChinaDaily]

ThenewexecutivefortheChinaunitoftheworld'slargestretailerbysalesistall,fast-walkingandsharpbutdown-to-earth.InhisfirstmeetingwithChinesemediarepresentativessincehisappointmentinMarch,Foranchosetoinvitereporterstovisitoneofhisstoresbeforebeinginterviewed.

Hecheckedonthemerchandizeattentivelyandofferedopinionsinagentlebutfirmtone.

Aretailveteranof30years,ForanprioritizestheWal-MartStoresInc（brandedasWalmartsince2008）mottothat"retailisdetail".Hepracticestheconceptinmultiplevisitstostores,oftenappearingunannounced.

HavingbeenappointedasthenewpresidentandchiefexecutiveofficerforWalmartChinaonlysevenmonthsago,Foranmakessuchvisitsthreedaysaweek,havingbeento240ofthe380storesintheChinesemainlandsofar.

Ononeshelf,adozenbagsofdeodorantthatappearedtooheavyforthehookcaughthiseye.Forantoldhisassociatestogetthepackagingredesigned.

Atsectionswheresomeofitemswereoutofstock,heaskedforthemtoberefilled."Whenwintercomes,therewillbeabigdemandforheatersandelectricblankets,"hepointedout.

Passingbyapileofneckpillows,henoticedthebarcodewashiddeninthepackaging.Suchpackagingwillprolongcustomers'check-outtime.Hesaidtothemanagerofthestore:

"Howisitscannedatthecheckout?

Thisisanexampleofthingsnotbeingpackagedproperly".

Pointingatasurfacecoveredwithout-of-seasonclothes,Foranwasunhappywiththedisplay.Hesaid:

"Youneedtobecarefulhowmuchyouputonthetable.Itishardtoselectanitemevenifthepriceisgood.Itwouldbebettertoleaveitonthehangerontherackwithabigpriceonit."

Turningtoanothercounterwithdiscountedgoods,Foranformedadifferentopinion,saying:

"Whenthepriceisverylow,peoplewillgotothecounter."

ThenewCEOhasquicklygainedrespectfromhisChineseassociateswhoyearnforprofessionalguidanceandadviceintheirdailywork.

"Hisobservationsfocusondetailandoperations,"saidLucyLang,districtmanagerofWalmartBeijing."Helookedatthingsinawaythatcustomerslookatthem.Hehasveryhighstandardsforqualityandprice.Heisveryprofessionalwhenitcomestomakingajudgement.Andheisnice."

Themostfrequentquestionsheraisedfocusonagoodmixtureofmarginsandsales.Butmostimportantly,ForanwantshisassociatestounderstandwhatmatterstoWalmart.

"Themoretheyunderstandaboutthat,thebetterdecisionstheymakeaboutwhatitemstheyaregoingtosellinthestore,"hesaid.

HispredecessorasheadoftheChineseunit,EdChan,quitinOctoberlastyearamidapork-labelingprobethattemporarilyshutall13ofthecompany'sstoresinChongqingmunicipalityinSouthwestChina.

Walmartsaidthereasonitwantedtohaveanewleaderisbecauseitwantstotakethestorestoanewlevel,oneof"excellenceandbeingabletodeliveronfoodsafetyandvalue"inevenbetterstores,DougMcMillon,WalmartInternationalpresidentandCEO,saidinFebruary.

Thecompany'sfastexpansionstrategyinthepastfewyearsdidnotworkwell.Lastyear,WalmartChinarankedNo4inthetopforeignchainretailerlistintermsofrevenue,afterRTMart,CarrefourSAandYum!

BrandsInc.ThelistwaspublishedbyChinaChainStore&FranchiseAssociationinMaythisyear.

Toregainabalanceindevelopmentandtheconfidenceofstaffandcustomers,Walmartiseagertoshowcaseitsreturnto"Americanvalues".

Unlikehispredecessor,ForandoesnothaveaChineseface.ButhebroughtthesameWalmartculturethatvalues"servantleadership".

AtameetingwithChineseemployeesmarkingthestartoftheyear,hedroppeddownononekneeasademonstrationofthatconcept."Iwasprobablyfeelingtiredafteralongflight,"hejoked.

"Wepreparefantasticmerchandisinginacleanwaywiththerightdisplayandexcellentfreshfood.Butserviceatthecheckoutisimportant.Acustomer'stotalexperienceofastorecanbeaffectedbyonefinalexperienceasheorsheleavesatthecheckout.Wemusthavewonderfullytrainedandengagedassociates.Servantleadershipisthewayforwardforthemtoachievethat,"hesaid.

Foranbeganhiscareerwithapart-timejobstockingshelvesatWoolworthsinAustraliaattheageof15,ultimatelyleadingtohismostrecentroleasheadofWoolworths'supermarketdivision.

HiscareerincludesseveralseniorroleswithinWoolworthsincludinggeneralmanagerofBigW,thediscountdepartmentstorediv