Today, I’m a store manager in Rocklin, California. The way my team works is also a lot different from those early days. Everything, from figuring out what products need to be on the shelves to processing customers’ online orders for pickup, is supported by digital programs and devices.
Things like Online Grocery Pickup and Same-Day Pickup make shopping faster and easier for our customers. Our associates on the sales floor also use mobile devices to help them communicate with customers – and each other – better. We can let shoppers know if we don’t have a product in the store, use our devices to look up an item’s nearest location or help customers order a product online.
There’s one big reason why embracing tech is so important to us: The world is changing, and working with mobile devices is second nature to most of us. Working better and smarter is a major reason why we’re leaning into tech. We’ve even created new positions to meet the demand of our online shopping and pickup programs.
In the end, these developments are also better for customers. What we’ve created are more intuitive ways to get products to customers as fast as possible. This is what is really most important to us. Our customers are the heart of everything we do.
I’ve been working even harder to make my team tech-focused ever since I found out we’re going to be a store that will house a Walmart Academy. We’re really trying to keep up with all the strides Walmart is making in online shopping and all things digital. I want to make sure my store is an example of the future of retail so the associates that go through the Academy here learn the best ways to work.
I was recently given the opportunity to visit the corporate offices in Bentonville, Arkansas, and hear from Greg Foran, president and chief executive officer of Walmart U.S., and other top-level executives on how important Academy stores are going to be for the future of Walmart. I’m excited for my store and my associates to be a part of that.