Page 12 - link magazine

Followinga letteraboutAsda published for children and other pedestrians.
in last month's Link, Laurence "This Mr Baguena promised to look at
Baguena, Temporary Manager, invited the system of warehouse
CC ii a group of local residents to a meeting ASDA scheduling to improve this.
Another customer wanted to know
at the store during April. Elizabeth
Wood went along for us. whether ASDA would be
I asked Julia Collard of Westlea, introducing an in-store bakery. Mr
the main instigator of the letter, Get Baguena said that is was ASDA
what she hoped the meeting would policy to have a bakery in every
achieve. store. "It is a great pity that Gateway
"The complaints about the Better" removed the bakery. It will cost
supermarket go back a long way - over £100,000 just to replace the
HAVE A LACE its not just ASDA's fault. West our questions and deal with ovens and no decision has been
PARTY Swindon people have to shop here complaints. Mrs Collard began by taken yet." he said.
and it has got worse with every listing the problems that had led Other comments included the
Easy, profitable and takeover. With ASDA things have her to write to store - lack of staff, dangerous shell-stacking in parts
fun. See our New reached a new low and I think its length of queues, empty spaces on of the store, the over use of the
time we got a better deal," she said. the shelves, no consistency of stock tannoy for staff messages, and
Spring Ranges of The amount of anger the new and a generally bad atmosphere. prices of some items, notably meat.
• Lace & Satin store has generated was forcibly "We need to use this place as our Mr Baguena made notes of all
brought to us while we waited for corner shop as well as a complaints and promised to look
Tableclothes Mr Baguena to arrive. Mrs Burke supermarket. This is our town into them. He said "There is nothing
• Austrian of Freshbrook was involved in a centre. At the moment all you get in this store that can't be put right.
furious argument with one of the for shopping here is raised blood Now ASDA is here we've got to get
Flounce Curtains assistant managers. Mrs Burke said pressure. With Sainsbury's these new systems in and then you
NEW LINE FOR later, "It was eleven o'clock in the opening down the road in few will see benefits. We have to re-
morning and there was no fresh months you haven't got long to get educate staff. We believe in
SPRING milk in the store, I've been a regular things right." Mr Baguena agreed providing quality at a fair price. I
Lace bed spreads shopper here for the last five years that staff shortages had been a welcome any opportunity to
and I didn't things could get any problem. "The staff rotas were the discuss problems with customers.
& canopies worse, but since ASDA took over first thing I looked at. We are The old system of logging
BOOK YOUR so many items I used to buy are recruiting as fast we can. ASDA complaints has to change. We
now unavailable that I am having place a strong emphasis on staff should deal with problems then
PARTY NOW! to do my shopping elsewhere. The training. Every new member of and there."
manager I spoke to took my phone staff gets one day of induction We also spoke to Jo Towers, Non-
For more details
number but he has never got back training followed by a full month Food Manager who has worked at
telephone to me. I don't think they care." of basic training in their the store since the days of Carrefour.
ohn or Prue Hardie When the meeting got underway department. We will also be She commented "Although ASDA
(0793) 762143 Mr Baguena explained that he had starting a programme of retraining haven'tbeen here long l can already
only been in the store for two weeks for existing staff." see that improvements are on the
but he hoped to be able to answer Mr Baguena outlined the new way. Their attitude to staff is much
ordering and stock systems that better, and individual managers
were being introduced and spoke have much more responsibility for
of some of the problems that the their departments. If you have a
rapid takeover from Gateway had complaint you should no longer be
Childcare Project caused. "Once ASDA philosophy fobbed off with excuses, its up to us
is put into this store things will get to put things right for you."
Co-Ordinator better. This won't happen Mr Baguena ended the meeting
overnight, the store is a big animal. by asking for patience. "It was a
All the fixtures need re- big job to take over 60 stores and
In these days of demographic changes, childcare merchandising. Once the systems mistakes were made which haven't
issues are of prime importance to all involved in the are up and running we will start helped people's confidence in
job market. changing the layout - possibly in ASDA. We are not yet displaying
July or August." our full range of products, but I
We now seek to appoint a Co-Ordinator to under- Mr Baguena was asked about hope that as you shop here weekby
take a short term project researching the various the trolley system. He said that week you will notice an
initiatives and implications of childcare provision ASDA has its own system of trolley improvement." he said. He also
in the Swindon area. maintenance. He also commented suggested that regular meetings
that he was unhappy with 20p with customers would be a good
Funded by the Institute of Personnel Management, deposit and was hoping to change idea. The seven women who were
the project will commence in May/June 1990 and that in the near future. On the present all felt that it would be
be of approximately 3 months duration. subject of queues at tills and service helpful to keep monitoring the
counters Mr Baguena said "We situation and meet again in two
The ideal person for this important position will be have a system to measure the length months' time.
self-motivated, have excellent communication skills on queues. What we are aiming for After the meeting Mrs Collard
and proven ability to research and compile infor- is one being served and no more commented "I was pleased. I
mation in report format. that two waiting at each checkout. thought he listened quite well. I
The departmental managers are came away with the feeling that
Current knowledge or experience of child care monitoring this and will be things will improve but it will take
provision is essential. Hours of work will be to suit reporting any problems to me. The time."
the individual, who will be home based but mobile. senior managers meet every week Mr Baguena said "1 felt the
Office support can be provided if necessary. and briefing goes right down the meeting was a very good two-way
line. We have also introduced a exchange of information. I learnt a
Please send letters of application to system of appraisal for all staff and lot about the problems you've had
Andy Goodhead management and pay awards will here over the last few years. There
119 Helmsdale be linked to performance." was a lot of very constructive
Greenmeadow, Swindon
Complaints were made about criticism. We have made promises
delivery lorries parked on the outer about the future and now we have
road and the subsequent danger to do the work."