The Wal-Mart Investigation - Essay Example

The purpose of the memo is to inform you about the basic requirements for establishing a grocery business similar to Wal-Mart. This investigative report will take you through the observations that I made during a visit the Wal-Mart. You are aware that Wal-Mart has more than 3000 food selling retail stores nationwide. During my visit to Wal-Mart grocery chain stores, I made a couple of observations concerning the consumers and employees. Additionally, I walked inside the food chain store while identifying the type of commodities stocked on the shelves.

I would listen to the customer as I walked around. It is important for you to note that Wal-Mart food chain stores are not as effective as you may think. The retail stores have a shortage of employees, a problem that people could hardly discover. Despite this problem, I observed that they stock a wide range of food and grocery products (Kipple, Adam and Wherry 23).During my visit to this Wal-Mart grocery store, I found that most customers prefer to shop there because the retail outlet stocks a variety of foods and grocery products.

The food chain store stocks products such as cereals, soft drinks, fish, milk, fruit and vegetables. The list of grocery products on the shelves is endless. I found out that the retail store has strength in availing products to the consumers on time (Kipple, Adam and Wherry 24). You should note that my observations were supplemented by consumer talks, which were not deduced from interviews. Indeed, I walked around the retail store just like any other consumer and never interviewed anyone. On another different note, the retail store had a shortage of employees ranging from the shop attendants, cashiers to the supervisors.

The customers were hanging around the corridors and shelves because there were few shop attendants to direct them. Additionally, the same customers would line up for several minutes before they pay for the goods to the cashiers. There were many customers inside the retail store, not because they loved the store so much, but, due to the fact that employees were inadequate. I had thought that Wal-Mart is perfect and efficient even before visiting their food chain store. Being the leading grocery business in the US and the world, one might think that there are no problems in its operations.

You should note that the retail store does well in stock many types of products, but, has a shortage of employees to meet the customer needs.I will go beyond and remind you that Whole Foods is another company that deals with the sale of foods and grocery products just like Wal-Mart. I found that the food chain store in town deals with the sale of milk, foods, fish, soft drinks, vegetables, fruits, and more. Remember that our aim is to establish a business similar to Wal-Mart that will compete with Whole Foods and achieve success.

You should note that Whole Foods has less noticeable strength such as an adequate number of employees and effective supply management. However, they have not yet expanded their list of products (Kipple, Adam and Wherry 23). Therefore, it is advisable for us to strike a balance between staffing the proposed retail store and stocking a wide variety of grocery products. You can consider stocking adequate products on the shelves and employing cashiers, shop attendants, and supervisors who will serve the customers effectively.