Bill Emerson

Walmart Greeters Get New Assignment

January 31, 2012

FROM RETAILWIRE:
A lot of changes have taken place at Walmart over the years since Sam Walton's passing, but the latest may have him flipping over in his grave. Walmart will be moving greeters from its lobbies and closer to cash registers in a move designed to better assist shoppers and apparently save the company money. What do you think of Walmart's move to change the role of its greeters?      [more...]

This is the first of what will probably be many changes in store staffing at WMT. Store level payroll is the biggest controllable expense for a 4-waller. With flat sales and increasing cost pressures, expect store payroll to drop.

Sam would not be happy about this. This was a differentiator that set WMT apart from the other "go find it yourself" mass merchants that set a tone for the experience.