Graham Soult

Retail consultant, writer, blogger; helping retailers via CannyInsights.com and CannySites.com. Say hello on Twitter at @soult!

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5 Responses

  1. Poppy James says:

    Whilst a regular shopper at wilkinsons Colchester ave the staff are very polite and friendly I know if I’m having a bad day that they will cheer me up the main staff that I get to have a chat with are the till staff on the late shift whilst some are not so cheerful the till staff are . On this occasion I went into store the manger of the store was speaking to said till staff like they were naughty children I didn’t much appreciate this and was disgusted whilst in store .if it wasn’t for great customer service I receive from the tills I would take my custom elsewhere due to poor managerial skills it needs to be sorted or you will loose a lot of your customers

  2. Patricia says:

    Having read your article, I find that through my own observations and shopping experience in the north of England from childhood to teenage years and on to adulthood……
    Woolworths was a cheap and cheerful experience.
    My grandmother first took me to “Woolies” as a small child and it was an eclectic mix of confectionary and cleaning products. The sweeties,”pick n mix”, was a firm favourite down to the cheap stationary and toiletries. The bold red signage with large font, represented an iconic shopping experience.
    However, during my teenage years it took a different perspective and I found myself discovering a multitude of teenage cosmetics which were pocket money friendly, but not well received by my mother, who advised a trip to John Lewis and a tour of the Chanel counter where her mother had introduced her to the concept of lipstick for the more sophisticated woman, a family tradition.
    In later years after living abroad for a while and not a Woolworths in sight…..I rediscovered Woolworths….sadly it had seemed to have lost some of its lustre…..and was in need of an makeover….only to find it later to disappear without trace…..memories left of happier nostalgic times.
    Now we have Wilkinsons….my local branch was quite shabby and again cheap and cheerful….however, recently there have been changes and after the rebuild of town centre the new and improved Wilkinson’s is quite bright with much improved layout and although not a store I visit regularly, seems quite improved since my last visit.
    Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the level of staff and customer experience. As I have experienced quite a lack of customer engagement, I feel that most of the staff would prefer not to be employed in their current roles as their ability to communicate and resolve any issues seems non existent.
    I feel they would benefit from further training regarding how to treat customers and realise their roles and responsibilities towards customers without whom they would be unemployed.
    I fear in these times of cutbacks and unemployment that some of the employed feel that they can give attitude to customers which is not mindful of their position.
    Therefore, regrettably, I feel I will be taking my custom elsewhere, rather paying a few pence more than receiving a bad customer experience.
    Logos are expensive….good manners and polite customer care cost nothing…..surely, that should come as standard?

  3. ROB says:

    The new wilkos is still about value products but a much friendly shopping environment

  4. Dan Naylor says:

    Just for your info. Wilkinson’s new corporate image is being rolled out on a national basis. All new Wilkinson stores set to open will be in the new theme, with a further 80 of their existing stores being rebranded this year. The remaining sites in their property portfolio will be converted over the next 4 years. So it’s goodbye to the old Wilko’s and hello to the new, better Wilkinsons!! I follow their progress closely as I used to work for them and still hold them close to my heart…..sad I know but true!!

  1. February 15, 2011

    […] tired Wilkinson signs have been replaced by ones bearing the new, cleaner logo – previously blogged about in July 2009. As I argued then, I find the new, crisp logo a massive improvement on its rather old-fashioned […]

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