The Co-op asks us how they can improve their store - let's tell them!

[Dave]

If Tinsley is referring to the Marple councillors, I can't see where their egos come in to it.  They will no doubt have believed (however mistakenly) that they were doing the right thing - what's egotistical about that?

[TINSLEY]

The people of Marple have been denied a decent Supermarket by certain peoples ego's.

[Dave]

I admire Henry's optimism, and I sincerely hope I'm wrong, but the impression I get is that the Co-op is a huge monolithic top-down organisation in which branch managers have little autonomy or 'empowerment'.  So the prospect of we local Co-op customers somehow bringing about an improvement in our branch through local action is improbable, to put it mildly, because even if the branch management noticed and wanted to respond, the way the organisation works would prevent it. 

[guy]

Sorry to rejoin this message thread again, it seemed to have run its course. But on tonight's TV news there is news about the Co-op Group's £2bn loss, and their plan to sell off their farms to help make up the funding shortfall. Their rival Morrisons makes big PR play out of backing Britain's farmers to give their shoppers high quality products. It seems something of a backwards step for the Co-op to sell off their farms. If they struggle to keep their shelves stocked up with fresh veg and meat when they own their own farms, then imagine how they would struggle without that guaranteed supply line of farm produce! I don't want to be seen as a negative Co-op basher. It just seems to me that as the Co-op supermarket has a monopoly situation in Marple, with no prospect of an alternative supermarket coming into Marple any time soon - then if we can encourage them to improve their service to us, the customer, then both the Co-op and its shoppers will benefit as a result.

[Dave]

the intention of my original posting wasn't actually to encourage Marple folk to fill in the Co-op survey. It was to encourage them to vent their feelings publicly about what improvements they would like to see in their local Co-op supermarket.

Yes, re-reading your post I can see that now - my apologies for misunderstanding it.

However, I wish I could share Henry's optimism here: 

I am sure the Co-op management monitor online blogs/forums/comment about their supermarkets.  If not, I am sure the local management of the Co-op supermarket read this forum and will pass on our comments to their bosses

I'm far from sure about that - in fact I'm pretty sure they don't monitor what's written on this forum.  And if they do, there's precious little evidence that they have ever acted upon it! 

[simonesaffron]

SO DID I.


PROBABLY NOT BUT YOU NEVER KNOW.
 

[marpleexile]

Thank you Henry,

I think that you'll find that most of us understood exactly what you were trying to do which was exactly as you said. When you've been on this forum as long as I have you will come to know that Dave is a very; perceptive, courteous, eloquent and intelligent poster.   

Except when it comes to the issue of the 'Marple Supermarket. Whereupon he often attempts to make you a watch when all you've actually asked for is the time.     

Actually, I assumed he meant fill in the survey to tell Co Op bosses our gripes about Marple CoOp.

Whinging about it (again) on an internet message board isn't going to actually change anything - or else it already would have.

[simonesaffron]

Thank you Henry,

I think that you'll find that most of us understood exactly what you were trying to do which was exactly as you said. When you've been on this forum as long as I have you will come to know that Dave is a very; perceptive, courteous, eloquent and intelligent poster.   

Except when it comes to the issue of the 'Marple Supermarket. Whereupon he often attempts to make you a watch when all you've actually asked for is the time.     

[amazon]

hello Dave, the intention of my original posting wasn't actually to encourage Marple folk to fill in the Co-op survey. It was to encourage them to vent their feelings publicly about what improvements they would like to see in their local Co-op supermarket. As noted by others, the official survey is all about the wider aspects of the Co-op movement - donations to political parties, corporate governance and so on. I am more interested in finding fresh veg on the shelves when I want it rather than telling them how I think the Co-op Movement should conduct its wider affairs.
In my first posting I was picking up on the original (brave!) comment of the Co-op’s chief executive where he admitted they had not listened to customers in the past and wanted to put that right. So I thought if we listed all the shortcomings of the Co-op, and made constructive comments on how the Co-op could improve its Marple supermarket, the Co-op might actually take note. I am sure the Co-op management monitor online blogs/forums/comment about their supermarkets.  If not, I am sure the local management of the Co-op supermarket read this forum and will pass on our comments to their bosses. So let’s make some constructive criticisms of their Marple supermarket in this public arena, and hope the Co-op takes notice and makes much-needed improvements!

A few of us have been doing this for a few years .they haven't listened yet ...

[guy]

hello Dave, the intention of my original posting wasn't actually to encourage Marple folk to fill in the Co-op survey. It was to encourage them to vent their feelings publicly about what improvements they would like to see in their local Co-op supermarket. As noted by others, the official survey is all about the wider aspects of the Co-op movement - donations to political parties, corporate governance and so on. I am more interested in finding fresh veg on the shelves when I want it rather than telling them how I think the Co-op Movement should conduct its wider affairs.
In my first posting I was picking up on the original (brave!) comment of the Co-op’s chief executive where he admitted they had not listened to customers in the past and wanted to put that right. So I thought if we listed all the shortcomings of the Co-op, and made constructive comments on how the Co-op could improve its Marple supermarket, the Co-op might actually take note. I am sure the Co-op management monitor online blogs/forums/comment about their supermarkets.  If not, I am sure the local management of the Co-op supermarket read this forum and will pass on our comments to their bosses. So let’s make some constructive criticisms of their Marple supermarket in this public arena, and hope the Co-op takes notice and makes much-needed improvements!

[simonesaffron]

Thank you Dave for pointing that out to those of us that didn't understand the bigger picture.

For my part the only aspect of the Co-op that I am really interested in is the Supermarket in Marple.     

[Dave]

I have to say though that what is wrong with the Co-o in Marple..... is so blatantly obvious that it smacks of such absolute desperation and complete ignorance that they should need to ask somebody else

I think we need to appreciate that this survey is not actually about what is wrong with our beloved supermarket.   It's about the whole massive Cooperative Organisation - the food stores, yes, but also the funeral service, the bank, the insurance company, the travel agencies, the pharmacies, etc etc. 

And above all it's about the politics of the organisation, and notably whether it should continue to provide financial support of up to £1 million per year to the Cooperative Party (which is in effect a branch of the Labour Party). 

So sadly, I doubt whether this survey will have any effect at all on the Marple Co-op.   

[Rudolph Hucker]

I'm even tempted to say that perhaps MIA should resurrect itself and campaign for our Councillors to get a move on with Chadwick Street but then we only get the traffic that comes with it.

Who, MiA (Marple inaction :-)? Campaign for something positive? Not their style...

RH.

[Rachael]

The lack of products on the shelves is due to human error in the store, I have seen a few colleagues, but not many in the co op  using the telxon scanners ( the zapper guns you see people with ) , on this you can generate more stock, change the capacity of the shelves so that more items come into store etc, you should also be able to generate an order to come in the next day etc, increase the following order by 10 percent etc should an item be selling fast  .... All items that have no stock , the bar code should be scanned daily to tell the central system there is no stock there ,  or to change the quantity of stock on the system if it is not showing correct ( this can be down to general public stealing items ) also items showing low stock should be scanned and an order generated sooner rather than later to prevent a product gap at all .

This lack of items isn't down to the " Co op " as such, but the people who work there , or the lack of people adequately trained to use the telxon  on the shop floor and complete the process of using it correctly from start to finish.

[simonesaffron]

Thank you Henry,

I will try and complete the survey. It wouldn't be fair to complain about the  Co-op and then disregard the opportunity to tell them what we're unhappy about.

I have to say though that what is wrong with the Co-o in Marple ( annual turnover is I understand £12m) is so blatantly obvious that it smacks of such absolute desperation and complete ignorance that they should need to ask somebody else and one is tempted to say ....'Don't they even know that?'

It would be better for Marple now if the Co-op left town altogether and a proper retailer rode in - it doesn't matter which one they are all better than the Co-op corner shop.

I'm tempted to say that perhaps we should not go in it at all and bring the whole situation to a head. 

I'm even tempted to say that perhaps MIA should resurrect itself and campaign for our Councillors to get a move on with Chadwick Street but then we only get the traffic that comes with it.

Yes the whole supermarket issue in Marple is without doubt a vexed question and may yet  be the death of us all.