I really think it speaks volumes when management is suddenly okay with approving hundreds of hours of overtime and six day pay for multiple associates during a week leading up to a big, big visit from corporate headquarters in Cincinnati. So, all these problems, including store cleanliness (or a lack thereof), are inconsequential when it comes to the customer, but when there's word the big kahunas are coming, it suddenly is a very, very big problem. The message basically is, "who cares if the customers are shopping in a store that's not neat and clean, but we can't let our bosses see the store looking like this! We have to clean up for them!" Shouldn't management strive to have a clean, orderly and presentable store all the time, regardless of whether company is coming or not? So much for Customer 1st.
Me thinks some district coordinators/district managers panicked and approved "unlimited overtime" to get stuff corrected before the big shots rolled into town in order to cover up the fact that they're doing a cruddy job being coordinators/managers. Maybe if the district coordinators/managers actually spent more time out in the stores, learning of the problems and playing a proactive, productive role in addressing them, situations like these could be avoided. But, that would require them, you know, actually doing something... and while I'm sure some of them are quite good at their jobs, we don't have enough that are to help balance out the ones that are incompetent/lazy.
Anyone else witnessed a scenario where management/higher ups basically go into code red panic mode and hand out overtime like candy?
Not really. Our unit manager avoids overtime at all possible costs, unless he has no option such as if we need to replace a closing or morning bookkeeper or if there ends up being no one to work in a certain department that day. And then when cashiers call off and he refuses to let us replace them, he comes down and screams at us asking why our QueVision is bad and why we keep calling down responders all day. Typical Kroger, don't you think?
The level of upper management panic is how you know how big the big wig coming is and how "for real" the threat is. They would try to put us in panic mode saying some big wig was coming but it wasn't until everyone was expecting to work overtime and they even brought people from all over to "fluff" the store that those BIG big wigs actually showed up.
"Shouldn't management strive to have a clean, orderly and presentable store all the time, regardless of whether company is coming or not? So much for Customer 1st. "
They should but that's not the culture. Then they wonder why "store looks dirty" isn't reflected on their visits.
Definitely! Christmas time I was getting my dept ready for a walk and was told to not bother putting ribbon on party trays because "he (pres.)doesn't care about those at all". What??? These party trays are expensive and "news flash" he isnt the one buying them! I don't care what he cares about! He isn't making my mortgage or vehicle payments. My customer is! They don't have to come drop their money at my feet, but they do. Why not spend 10 extra seconds to make their item something they can be proud of? Are coordinators & DM's so scared for their jobs that they have forgotten who is truly feeding them and their families??? It is sickening! I cannot wait to retire.
