六级实时阅读之小关键致使零售业的成功.docx

1、Detail key to retail successWal-Marts new China CEO is a stickler for getting things just soNew Zealander Greg Foran caused quite a stir by visiting a Walmart store in Wangjing, a large neighborhood in northern Beijing.Wal-Mart currently has 380 stores in China. Sales growth in the country was among

2、 the highest for the global retailer in 2012. Photo/China DailyThe new executive for the China unit of the worlds largest retailer by sales is tall, fast-walking and sharp but down-to-earth. In his first meeting with Chinese media representatives since his appointment in March, Foran chose to invite

3、 reporters to visit one of his stores before being interviewed.He checked on the merchandize attentively and offered opinions in a gentle but firm tone.A retail veteran of 30 years, Foran prioritizes the Wal-Mart Stores Inc (branded as Walmart since 2008) motto that retail is detail. He practices th

4、e concept in multiple visits to stores, often appearing unannounced.Having been appointed as the new president and chief executive officer for Walmart China only seven months ago, Foran makes such visits three days a week, having been to 240 of the 380 stores in the Chinese mainland so far.On one sh

5、elf, a dozen bags of deodorant that appeared too heavy for the hook caught his eye. Foran told his associates to get the packaging redesigned.At sections where some of items were out of stock, he asked for them to be refilled. When winter comes, there will be a big demand for heaters and electric bl

6、ankets, he pointed out.Passing by a pile of neck pillows, he noticed the bar code was hidden in the packaging. Such packaging will prolong customers check-out time. He said to the manager of the store: How is it scanned at the checkout? This is an example of things not being packaged properly.Pointi

7、ng at a surface covered with out-of-season clothes, Foran was unhappy with the display. He said: You need to be careful how much you put on the table. It is hard to select an item even if the price is good. It would be better to leave it on the hanger on the rack with a big price on it.Turning to an

8、other counter with discounted goods, Foran formed a different opinion, saying: When the price is very low, people will go to the counter.The new CEO has quickly gained respect from his Chinese associates who yearn for professional guidance and advice in their daily work.His observations focus on det

9、ail and operations, said Lucy Lang, district manager of Walmart Beijing. He looked at things in a way that customers look at them. He has very high standards for quality and price. He is very professional when it comes to making a judgement. And he is nice.The most frequent questions he raised focus

10、 on a good mixture of margins and sales. But most importantly, Foran wants his associates to understand what matters to Walmart.The more they understand about that, the better decisions they make about what items they are going to sell in the store, he said.His predecessor as head of the Chinese uni

11、t, Ed Chan, quit in October last year amid a pork-labeling probe that temporarily shut all 13 of the companys stores in Chongqing municipality in Southwest China.Walmart said the reason it wanted to have a new leader is because it wants to take the stores to a new level, one of excellence and being

12、able to deliver on food safety and value in even better stores, Doug McMillon, Walmart International president and CEO, said in February.The companys fast expansion strategy in the past few years did not work well. Last year, Walmart China ranked No 4 in the top foreign chain retailer list in terms

13、of revenue, after RT Mart, Carrefour SA and Yum! Brands Inc. The list was published by China Chain Store & Franchise Association in May this year.To regain a balance in development and the confidence of staff and customers, Walmart is eager to showcase its return to American values.Unlike his predec

14、essor, Foran does not have a Chinese face. But he brought the same Walmart culture that values servant leadership.At a meeting with Chinese employees marking the start of the year, he dropped down on one knee as a demonstration of that concept. I was probably feeling tired after a long flight, he jo

15、ked.We prepare fantastic merchandising in a clean way with the right display and excellent fresh food. But service at the checkout is important. A customers total experience of a store can be affected by one final experience as he or she leaves at the checkout. We must have wonderfully trained and e

16、ngaged associates. Servant leadership is the way forward for them to achieve that, he said.Foran began his career with a part-time job stocking shelves at Woolworths in Australia at the age of 15, ultimately leading to his most recent role as head of Woolworths supermarket division.His career includes several senior roles within Woolworths including general manager of Big W, the discount department store div