Page 29 - link magazine

What do readers think of ASDA?

The following letters were received in response to our article on ASDA last month
From Gordon Crabbe, Whittington Road, Westlea From a group of ASDA employees (names and addresses have been supplied but
I looked forward to reading your stocked - but I mustn't go on!) not published for job security reasons)
report following the meeting of lo- There is nothing wrong with the After reading 'It ASDA get better' terialised and it was left to our long
cal residents but I am afraid that it staff, who I find exceedingly help- in last month's Link I had to laugh, suffering department manager to
left a feeling of great frustration. ful. What we want is variety in the especially after the part where it listen to our gripes; he did his best
Summing up the article, the goods on show, no empty spaces or said "Their attitude to staff is much for us but was under strain himself.
temporary managermade much of too many facings of the same prod- better." As an employee of Gate- Another thing that we were dis-
training staff, new ordering and uct to disguise the lack of variety. way (now ASDA) I would firstly gusted about was the redundancy
stock systems, new layouts, the What about making a start by of- like to say that their staff shortage of ten of the assistant managers in
trolley system, the waiting at the fering decent ham for sale - not the is entirely of their own making. our store. These people had been
checkouts and soon. Either he had tasteless stuff sold under various While all the other major gro- with this shop for years; some were
no idea what is really wrong with names (honeyroast, carver etc. I'm cery retailers are revising their even in on the original opening of
the store or he is using a lot of sure it's all the same!). Why not staff's wages, ASDA are currently Carrefour. But now they are 'ex-
words to disguise shortcomings. cook the ham on the premises? The employingstaffata lower rate than cess to requirements. If it wasn't
I have had over 25 years experi- manager talked of spending over Gateway, which was low enough for these people the takeover would
ence in the trade, but it doesn't £100,000 on a new bakery; a ham to start with. The employees are so have been an even worse shambles
need any special knowledge to cooker would cost about £100. If disgusted they are leaving in droves than it was. To be fair they were
notice the empty spaces all over the that doesn't appeal, do what we which means the customers suffer, offered other jobs in other stores,
store. ASDA have thrown out many used to do in our shop - buy ready- they shop elsewhere, resulting in but who is going to uproot their
good lines and have replaced them cooked hams from the Danish poor profits for this store. family for a shop job.
with inferior goods or merely left a Bacon Company; people used to The wages in our store are paid I must also say that the liaison
void. I could fill a couple of pages think we cooked them ourselves. weekly on a clock card system. between personel and staff is the
with examples and I did indeed When all is said and done, ASDA Simple enough you may think, but worst I have ever encountered. No
write to ASDA's head office, listing will do what they want to do; in nearly all the staff including man- one is ever willing to see us, and as
some of them. I had a charming other words, "We know best, just agers, had their wages wrong a few for Mr Banguena (temporary store
letter in reply, but it merely said wait until we get going". I hope weeks back. Some unfortunates manager) I never saw him though I
that ASDA had won many awards they are right, because they havn't didn't get paid for weeks, and when work there.
for quality and that possibly some got long before you-know-who the personel staff were asked for The last point I have to make is
of the lines I was missing had been arrives in November. Time is run- advice, they wouldn't see us; so about the nature of the staff who
Gateway brands. (This is certainly ning out fast and I sincerely hope weeks went by and nothing was work there, most of whom are
not the case, for I can think of La that things will improve. If they done. No offers to help with bank women. Don't let anyone think for
Flora Blanche wine, Double Cen- don't, the customers will desert charges accrued because of their a moment that just because we are
tury sherry, Swiss Knight cheese ASDA in droves. As one who has stupid mistakes. We don't work shop workers we are not intelligent
and those lovely little oval plastic shopped in the store for six years, I there for the social life. The con- and resourceful. Most of us are
containers of pate which used to be shall be very sorry to see it happen. tinuing balls-ups in the wages de- only working there because of
partment really affected morale, family commitments, and are wait-
From Louise Burke, Grosmont Drive, Freshbrook which is very important in a boring ing to go back to the jobs we were
From my recent correspondence Safeways, Sainsburys or the Gate- job such as ours. trained for, i.e. teachers, nurses,
with the manager, it seems, that way store in Moredon. We were promised meetings secretaries, etc. We resent being

while ASDA are happy to listen to ASDA even seem to have diffi- with management which never ma- treated as people of no account.
customers' complaints, there is not culty in supplying the products
very much they intend to do about they have decided to stock. I re- From P M Higgs, Lineacre Close,
the non-availability of many com- cently went into the store for eight Grange Park Vacancies
mon brands weareused to buying. of their items and was only able to I would like to complain about
Surely, if I wish to buy certain obtain two. It was in the recent hot something that can only be de- Summer Playscheme
products the retailer, who wishes spell and there were hardly any scribed as manipulation. You price Workers
to keep my custom, is going to do soft drinks available - just a long items on your shelves, such things
his best to provide me with the empty shelf with a few bottles scat- as crisps for instance, packets of 12 Thamesdown
products I require. I would prefer tered about. Ordinary, everyday for 99p and packets of 6 for 72p and Borough Council's
to shop at ASDA because it is my items are frequently not there. make sure there are no packets of Play Service

nearest foodstore, but as they are If this is how they treat us, will 12 on the shelves leaving no option organises
no longer selling many of the items ASDA have any customers left in but to buy the packet of 6 at ridicu- Summer Playschemes
I want to buy I now have to go to West Swindon? lously high extra cost. If the crisps (for children aged 5-14) at
instance was a one off I would say school sites and community
From C E Godwin, Morris Street, From Mrs I-I Willstead of Conyers nothing, but it is happening on a centres across the borough.
Rod bourne Close, Grange Park vast amount of your products, no
Regarding ASDA -I am thoroughly I write to you in reply to the article matter what time of day so there We are always looking for
disgusted with the service at the in last month's Link about ASDA should be no excuse. local people to staff the
West Swindon store. and how poorly they have man- If you add that to a sudden in- playschemes. Experience of
Recently after spending almost aged the take over from Gateway. crease in a wide range of prices playwork is helpful but not
an hour shopping I had to wait at My main complaints about since ASDA took over and fewer as important as enthusiasm
the check out for %hour. On check- ASDA are the lack of many items of and fewer (inexperienced) check- and an ability to get on
ing the number of tills I found that stock on the shelves and the long out operators on the tills it makes well with children.
12 were closed. This is most annoy- queues to pay for purchases whilst shopping at ASDA a very unenjoy-
ing on a busy day. every other check-out remains able thing. 20-25 hours per week
As if this wasn't enough I found unmanned. I only now shop at (July/August)
that I had purchased out of date ASDA when I am desperate and go Play leaders £3.53 per hour
biscuits. to Safeways at Haydon for my main Play assistants £2.83 per
The prices are high and the choice shopping. Once Sainsbury's open hour (at 18)
limited. I most certainly will not their new supermarket nearby, it is Could this be you?
shop at ASDA again. highly unlikely that I will ever set For more information and
foot in ASDA again. details of how to apply
I am very disappointed by contact Eddie East
ASDA's performance so far. on 693787 ext. 224