Some shareholders are worried that cost cutting has started to impact the quality of the shopping experience at Kroger.
Theres only so many areas where you can cut costs before you skeletonize the store, said Rich Cagney of Lancaster, who retired from Kroger in 2001 after 33 years. In the store that I worked in, I can walk around that whole store and only see a few clerks during the day.
Cagney was one of two shareholders who criticized the in-store shopping experience at Krogers annual meeting last week. He said customers want store employees who can answer their questions instead of self-serve attendants.
"They dont want to go to Meijers where they have 25 cash registers and three cashiers and no baggers or Walmart where it looks like youre going into a circus, Cagney told CEO Rodney McMullen.
Shareholder Vic Ellison questioned whether Krogers increasing emphasis on digital sales is negatively impacting its brick-and-mortar locations.
Im just so worried that we forgot the fundamentals, Ellison said. In the store, were worried about checking people out. We dont worry about filling the grocery shelves.
If Rodney is so concerned about "cost cutting" they could have saved the $40 million dollars they paid that ad agency for the rebranding. Sell the $8 million dollar corporate jet. Eliminate the million-dollar bonuses and redirect that money to the associates. I am starting to get tired of his BS answers to everything. Over HALF the co-workers in my store are on some kind of public assistance: food stamps (EBT cards), WIC vouchners, Mediaid, etc. I was on food stamps for 5 years before I was able to at least make enough to survive although I visit the food pantry from time to time. THAT is what he shoujd be concerned about. It's time for Rodney to step down.
If Rodney is so concerned about "cost cutting" they could have saved the $40 million dollars they paid that ad agency for the rebranding. Sell the $8 million dollar corporate jet. Eliminate the million-dollar bonuses and redirect that money to the associates. I am starting to get tired of his BS answers to everything. Over HALF the co-workers in my store are on some kind of public assistance: food stamps (EBT cards), WIC vouchners, Mediaid, etc. I was on food stamps for 5 years before I was able to at least make enough to survive although I visit the food pantry from time to time. THAT is what he shoujd be concerned about. It's time for Rodney to step down.
Exactly - It's not sustainable. If I were CEO there is no WAY I'd take that kind of bonus - or allow my henchmen to do it either. I'd give it back to my workers in the form of bonus money or something.. - that kind of, "we are all in this together" - good will would be a start in changing the terrible reviews Kroger has to how it treats it's employees. That's what's needed to turn this company around. Better employee environment - not this Egyptian torture philosophy of making their slaves work harder, expecting more, while taking away the tools they need to get there and then blaming them for it..
I think the rumors about there being very bad actors behind the scenes are true. Rodney may be pathologically insane but I doubt he makes more decisions than a typical store manager. Sadly this company and all of its brand companies could go on for a very long time. You don't need one in your town.
I've listened to a few of the quarterly earnings calls. They're basically just investment bank analysts yelling at Rodney for not giving them immediate returns. He still answers to a higher power.
I've listened to a few of the quarterly earnings calls. They're basically just investment bank analysts yelling at Rodney for not giving them immediate returns. He still answers to a higher power.
You have to put chrome in Desktop mode, because apparently no one in that company knows web design. Expand the earnings release you want to listen to, click "webcast". Then click "Join Webcast". It asks you to register, but you can just make up a name if you want. From there you can listen to it, download it, whatever.
I've left the company, but since so much of their stock is in my 401k, I might as well keep tabs on them.