Wal-Mart Stores Inc. says it will cut about 11,200 jobs at Sam’s Club warehouses as it turns over the task of in-store product demonstrations to an outside marketing company.
Shopper Events will launch a new demo program called “Tastes and Tips” with new carts, signs, uniforms and a trained team. A spokesperson for the company said the move was not made to save money.“It’s not a cost cutting measure, its really an investment in enhancing our demo program.
Shopper Events plans to hire roughly the same number of people cut. Sam’s Club workers are invited to apply for those positions.“
Here’s my big concern. Though Walmart Club, Inc says that the demonstrators working for Sam’s Club will be considered for employment by the outside marketing company, how many of them (especially the senior citizens) will actually be rehired?
I never take food samples when I go to Sam’s Club (my husband likes nibbling), but do I enjoy watching the sample people do their thing. Some of them have been there for years and are familiar faces to the crowds of hungry samplers.They always have something nice to say to the customers, more than just facts about the product they are handing out.
I’m not sure if replacing these folks with a “trained team” will improve customer service. I think what people really want (and need) these days is some old fashioned I care about you service.
