I was working for a large supermarket chain and we get a new CEO, In the first few months he sent a memo out to all stores stating that there would be no more Royal Visits, (Ironically his last name is King) He went on to say that when you are expecting a visit from senior management you should not go to extreme lengths getting the shop into perfect condition, You should be showing off your shop to the customers every day. I was very impressed with this memo, I remembered all the previous times when you would need to come in early in your own time to dress up the store because some big boss was in the area, and then be on edge all day expecting them to walk in. Often they didn't arrive.
When i went home I told my Wife about this, expecting her to share how impressed I was with these wise words from our new commander. She just burst out laughing and said, It's a nice sentiment and it would be good if it was followed but nothing will change. I questioned myself and wondered if I was being naive or if my Wife was being cynical. Time will tell I thought.
Of course she was right, nothing changed, we continued to have Royal Visits, panicking when ever a big boss was in the area, or a senior manager had said he was visiting.
I think the idea was good but is very hard to implement, Store Managers are often competitive people who want to show off, Thats how they got where they are, And area managers are very picky Read my other blog about pet hates and will always want more. But from an Area managers point of view what he see's on a Royal Visit is not reality, It just shows the best that can be done, or proves that it can be done, Or if the Royal visit go's bad that even with notice it can't be done, or even worse the manager doesn't care.
Unannounced visits show the true picture of what's going on, And they should be at various times like early in the morning or late at night, When they know the Store manager is off. But the area Manager has to be reasonable, Things won't be perfect (Like on the Royal visit)
When i went home I told my Wife about this, expecting her to share how impressed I was with these wise words from our new commander. She just burst out laughing and said, It's a nice sentiment and it would be good if it was followed but nothing will change. I questioned myself and wondered if I was being naive or if my Wife was being cynical. Time will tell I thought.
Of course she was right, nothing changed, we continued to have Royal Visits, panicking when ever a big boss was in the area, or a senior manager had said he was visiting.
I think the idea was good but is very hard to implement, Store Managers are often competitive people who want to show off, Thats how they got where they are, And area managers are very picky Read my other blog about pet hates and will always want more. But from an Area managers point of view what he see's on a Royal Visit is not reality, It just shows the best that can be done, or proves that it can be done, Or if the Royal visit go's bad that even with notice it can't be done, or even worse the manager doesn't care.
Unannounced visits show the true picture of what's going on, And they should be at various times like early in the morning or late at night, When they know the Store manager is off. But the area Manager has to be reasonable, Things won't be perfect (Like on the Royal visit)
