Learning from Wal-Mart: Learning from Wal-Mart: a Way to expand Swezey’sa Way to expand Swezey’s

By:By:Robert S. Goldstein, Michael Randazzo, Anthony CaressinoRobert S. Goldstein, Michael Randazzo, Anthony Caressino

April 5, 2000April 5, 2000MG305 - Professor Carl NelsonMG305 - Professor Carl Nelson

Walmart.comSwezeys.com

Learning from Wal-MartLearning from Wal-Mart

• What can we learn from them?What can we learn from them?

• How can we integrate their ways?How can we integrate their ways?

• What can we do to go beyond their What can we do to go beyond their methods?methods?

What can we learn?What can we learn?

• Show employees that the company listens Show employees that the company listens and caresand cares

• Provide support for employees and Provide support for employees and customerscustomers

• Employ an online business presenceEmploy an online business presence

Showing EmployeesShowing Employees

• Have upper management come to the stores Have upper management come to the stores to show they are a part of a familyto show they are a part of a family

• Bring employee’s ideas back to Bring employee’s ideas back to headquarters for evaluationheadquarters for evaluation

• Donate to Charities and OrganizationsDonate to Charities and Organizations

Provide SupportProvide Support

• Ways to train/re-train employees via video Ways to train/re-train employees via video tapes and seminarstapes and seminars

• Use IT resources such as databases for rapid Use IT resources such as databases for rapid re-ordering and price controlre-ordering and price control

Online PresenceOnline Presence

• Market it BetterMarket it Better

– A vital need of all businesses in the 21st CenturyA vital need of all businesses in the 21st Century– Inform customers about Us quicklyInform customers about Us quickly– Will not need as many storesWill not need as many stores– Can get a large market base with having a store in Can get a large market base with having a store in neighborhood right away neighborhood right away– Need to get the different spellings of the domain nameNeed to get the different spellings of the domain name– Structure site better for online commerceStructure site better for online commerce

How to Integrate?How to Integrate?

• Update Business PlanUpdate Business Plan– Provide a way to show South Western, Central Provide a way to show South Western, Central

LI and the rest of NY we exist!LI and the rest of NY we exist!– Have Events that show we contribute to the Have Events that show we contribute to the

communitycommunity• Get the name out to more peopleGet the name out to more people

• More Television and newspaper advertisementsMore Television and newspaper advertisements

• Have a Catchy Company SloganHave a Catchy Company Slogan

• Target Web site as an online business– Redo

Navigation– Allow for

onlineorders

How to Integrate?How to Integrate?

How to Integrate?How to Integrate? Make Web Site into an online store, just not an informational guide what the store does

What can we do better?What can we do better?

• Provide Customer Feedback Forms

• Allow Suggestions and Comments from On-line sources

• Re-structure IT systems as a part of business, not just an extension

• Implement more neighborhood relations to get more native residents that have strayed

The “Home Field” AdvantageThe “Home Field” Advantage

• Swezey’s has been around for a long time, this is can be a strong advantage

• Show Via the Web that these are local people serving the Customer’s needs

Put it all together!Put it all together!

• Integrated Internet-based Information Exchange between stores

• Re-designed Web Interface- On-line Ordering of products- On-line Ordering of products- Better flow of control between pages- Better flow of control between pages

• More Customer involvement of changes applied via online suggestions and cards in the store themselves

Final Thoughts to RememberFinal Thoughts to Remember

• IT systems are not supposed to make business more complicated

• The Internet can be a valuable asset to us if IT is applied correctly

• Inter-Store Digital communication can speed up business, which will directly affect sales and marketing

Questions or Comments?Questions or Comments?