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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Walmart’s investments in improving the pay and training of its workforce are paying dividends in the form of improved customer experience scores, and executives vowed on Wednesday to take additional steps to help store associates serve customers better.
Walmart’s investments in improving the pay and training of its workforce are paying dividends in the form of improved customer experience scores, and executives vowed on Wednesday to take additional steps to help store associates serve customers better.
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Walmart U.S. chief executive officer Greg Foran and chief operating officer Judith McKenna, speaking to nearly 3,000 associates from around the country, outlined steps to drive greater simplicity and provide associates the tools they need to serve customers. They also promised to listen to and act on associate ideas.
Their remarks were part of a weeklong series of events held in conjunction with Walmart’s annual shareholders meeting.
"One of the most important parts of my job is to listen to our associates," Foran told the assembled workers. "You are closest to the customer, and you make a difference for our customers every day. I learned very early on that you have great ideas."
Walmart announced in February that it would invest $1 billion in its U.S. workforce, raising its minimum wage to $9 an hour, implementing new training programs and giving associates more control over their schedules. The company’s U.S. leadership also said that stores will be cleaner by the start of the holiday season, with better service and improved in-stock positions.
The company said its U.S. business has recorded three consecutive quarters of positive comparable-store sales, and two consecutive quarters of positive growth in store traffic. And customer experience scores improved across all Walmart formats over the last quarter.
"Taking care of our customers begins with taking care of you," McKenna told the associates. "It’s that simple. My commitment to you is that we will continue to listen and, more importantly, act on what we hear."
To underscore that message, McKenna announced that Walmart is changing its employee name badges, which will once again bear the slogan "Our People Make the Difference."
"These words are just as important today, and to our future, as they ever were," McKenna said.
