In my last column I touched on some points that make (or break) a produce department’s reputation. I actually think about the produce reputation of the stores near me every week.
Do I want to go to the store closest to my house, where the produce department almost always is in less-than-ideal condition, inconsistent with its variety, selection and service? Or do I venture the opposite direction to “my” store that takes longer to drive to, where I know the produce department (same chain) will be in far better condition, much better stocked not only in produce but in the entire store?
Guess which store has the better reputation among shoppers?
However, a store’s reputation goes farther than stock conditions, cleanliness and knowledgeable clerks (and knowing they’ll always have my guilty pleasure double-pepperoni pizza rolls in stock).
A good reputation starts at the top, and that’s the store manager. But equally yoked is the produce manager.
A well-managed produce department runs on a strict regimen of doing things correctly: ordering closely, following a regular daily rotation schedule. A well-managed produce department always seems to be clean because it is; it has posted duties that outline what needs to be cleaned daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly.
These tasks are built into a carefully thought-out labor schedule designed to not only cover daily stocking duties but to incorporate all other tasks so that the produce department is rarely in bad condition, rarely behind in stock levels, and rarely needs the deep-cleaning so many face following a quarterly visit from the white-gloved district manager.
Who manages this way? The produce manager with a good reputation.
What’s more, once great habits are instilled as part of the routine, clerks are trained and buy into it (even if they grumble at first), and the produce manager’s good habits become the clerk’s good habits too. This helps build teamwork, a sense of pride and department ownership.
This is the kind of reputation that gets noticed around the chain — and around the company as well.
That’s when district managers, produce directors and supervisors gain confidence in the store and the produce manager. Good things tend to follow, including frequent visits from the chain’s upper management when they visit locations with ride-along guests who want to see the flagship, “good” stores in the chain.
Or when it comes time to select someone for a special project, or an internal promotion, the “good reputation” managers are always the ones on the short list.
Even as a young clerk, I remember hearing about the superstar managers in the chain. They seemed to be the colorful characters in the most desirable stores and had everyone’s respect.
I remember thinking, “What would it be like, someday, to be one of those managers?”
Armand Lobato works for the Idaho Potato Commission. His 40 years’ experience in the produce business span a range of foodservice and retail positions.