GEMCO, Uena Park in the Three Rather Than Two Main Divisions
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
CIRCULATION: 10,460 FOR EMPLOYEES OF GEM CO DIVISION JULY, 1985 WHAT' IN NEW LOOK FOR ANA E? MERCHANDISING $100 gift certific e, that's what, if n Tuesday, June 11, Stan Brenner ager, Home, which yours is the win ing entry in our " announced a new organizational includes Audio/ ME THE NEWSLET ER contest. sf ucture for Merchandising. Addressing Electronics (Joe the Executive Committee, Stan described Naughton, DMM); To participate, send y ur entry to NAME Domestics (John THE NEWSLETTER C NTEST, c/o Mar- the new organization, whose major fea- ture is the dividing of Merchandising into Schaefer, DMM); garet Sharpe, GEMCO, uena Park in the three rather than two main divisions. This Major Appliances intercompany mail (or t 6565 Knott Ave- will be accomplished by taking home- (Jim Stuber, Vice nue, Buena Park, CA 0620 in the U.S. President and Mail). Deadline for e tries is Friday, related buying categories out of Hardlines and creating a new buying division, D M M ) ; and JIM HYMAN August 2. All employee are eligible, and Home. Housewares (Gary Ojendyk, DMM). Jim you may submit more han one entry if begins his association with GEMCO fol- you like. Make sure tha you include your A second important part of the plan is to lowing a 23-year career with Bradlees, a name and location. T contest will be consolidate warehouse and distribution 134-unit discount store chain based in for all kinds of merchandise (apparel, jew- judged by the Editorial eview Board plus Braintree, Massachusetts. Jim's most elry, major appliances, audio/electronics Stan Brenner and Dave orman. The win- recent responsibilities with Bradlees and general merchandise), previously ning entry will be anno nced in the Sep- were as VP, GMM of Home and Men's tember issue. handled by their respective merchandis- and Boy's. CONTINUED, PAGE 6 ing organizations. Warehousing and Dis- What sort of name a we looking for? tribution will report to Wes Wright, Vice One that's fresh and fu , reflecting some President and Director, Administration. of the goals we have set or the newsletter. We want the paper to b informative and Hardlines will be headed up by Bob Roell, WELCOME entertaining, a way for EMCO employ- who joined the Company in June, as Vice Welcome to the first edition of the ees to learn about our c mpany, our busi- President, Gen- GEMCO newsletter. This will be the first eral Merchandise ness and each other. of a series of newsletters, to be pub- Manager. Before Can a name say all that lished bi-monthly, for now at least. Later starting with on, if practical, we may go to a monthly GEMCO, Bob was publication schedule. 16 years with Ven- Each issue of the newsletter will be ture Stores in St. planned by an editorial review board, Ann, Missouri, the composed of a cross-section of inter- last three years of ested employees (from different geo- BOB ROELL which he was Vp, graphical areas, in different types of DMM in their Hardlines Smallwares jobs, and at different levels). group. Venture, a discount department In the newsletter, we're planning to talk store, is owned by May Department about what's happening in the Company Stores Company and operates 60 stores and industry, discuss issues of interest in seven states. to you as an employee, as well as include personal items for you and your Reporting to Bob will be Dave Morehead, family. We will also acknowledge the Divisional Merchandise Manager (DMM), contributions of outstanding employees Patio, Sporting Goods, Toys and Trim; and help you get to know new names John Macaluso, Vice President and DMM, and faces. Stationery/Notions, HBA, Hardware and Just so we'll know we're on the right Automotive; and Dorothy Magette, Sr. track, though, we'd like to hear from you. Buyer, Cosmetics. Your suggestions will help make the C============-·II--.:----'-'--r--"Jim Hyman, also new to GEMCO, is Vice newsletter all that it can be. President and General Merchandise Man- A letter from DAVE DORMAN. • • Summer is hei and Gemco is looking ear Fellow Employees, forward to a r cord-setting sales sea- son. Unfortu ately, with increased This first issue of the Gemco Employee Newsletter represents a very important sales, there is so increased shoplifting step for our Company. The newsletter itself is one part of an overall Gemco employee activity. communication program. I'm excited about the opportunity to improve our Company Here are som tips to prevent shop- through improved two-way communication. lifting: Gemco, over the last twenty-five years, has emphasized a basic value of concern Give frie~y, alert service to your cus- for people ... both employees and customers. This basic value, over the years, has 1• tomers a all times; greet each cus- been communicated informally through our actions as well as our conversations. We tomer pr ptly. have all heard at one time or another the phrase that Gemco is a "people company." Even if b sy, let other customers know As we have grown, though, there comes a time to develop more formal programs 2• that you see them. Nod and state which are designed to achieve the same result as the informal emphasis. This pleasan Iy, "I'll be with you in a Newsletter and the related employee communication programs represent just such a moment.' step. But the basic philosophy remains unchanged. If you SUject a customer IS tempted to 3• pilfer, wa h him openly, carefully and In Gemco, we've experienced major changes during the last few years. Change in courteo sly Being watched dis- an organization as large as ours is never easy. We are very fortunate, though, to have courage most shoplifters. a core group of dedicated, talented employees at many levels in Gemco. 4. Keep aisl s clear. We are now in the process of rebuilding and repositioning this Company for the future. The rebuilding is done on a very strong base and is specifically designed to Keep dis~lays as complete as possi- emphasize the key strengths of Gemco. Key Gemco strengths include selection, S• ble; thi~1 makes it easier to spot price, one-stop shopping, and friendly service in a membership store. Our goal is to shoplifte rebuild and strengthen these key differentiating characteristics of Gemco. Whenev r possible, check dressing 6• rooms of n for clothing left by custom- In order to reach this goal, we need people throughout the Company to be ers. Che k customers as they enter informed and involved. We have the responsibility to put together sensible programs and leav dressing rooms. designed to deliver to our members exactly what we promise. It all begins with the Keep em ty hangers off display racks merchandising plan, and it ends with the completion of the sales at the register. At 7• atalltim each step along the way, whether we are buyers, merchandisers, warehousemen, Check rchandise as you ring up stock crew people, sales clerks or managers, we each playa part in serving the the orde . Look for ticket switching Gemco member. If we simply put ourselves in that member's shoes and think of how 8• and con ealment of additional we like to be treated in a retail store, we will be well on our way toward providing that mercha ise inside merchandise very simple but elusive thing called "quality member service." the cust mer is buying. Know your mercha ise. Ours is a people business. It makes good business sense to pay attention to our Never tu your back on a customer if own employees and to our members. In addition to this newsletter, we will begin in the 9• you can void it. near future an employee suggestion program and a program of employee small- Be espe ially alert during opening, group meetings. Both of these programs are designed to encourage listening 10 • closing a d lunch hours. throughout our organization. Neither, though, is a substitute for honest and direct Be alert t suspicious movements: communication between our co-workers, subordinates and supervisors on a daily 11• • The sh plifter never keeps his eyes basis. on the merchandise he is about to steal. We face significant challenges in today's competitive retail world. Gemco, • Watch he hands-the hands do the though, is building for the future on a strong base. I hope you find this first stealin . edition of your employee newsletter to be informative and productive. We • One 0 the simplest methods of welcome your suggestions and comments. shoplif ng is for a person to tryon merch ndise and then walk away from th department wearing it. Sincerely, Beware the loosely wrapped parcels 12• which co Id have false openings. 13. Never Ie ve your section unattended. ;il;~-- "": If you Wifness a shoplifting, keep the 14• suspect i sight and notify a Loss Pre- T vention Agent or Manager im- mediatel . 'f 2 VERYBODY'S A look at what is happening in the business world and how it affects US/NESS GEMCO and GEMCO employees. GEMCORA KS #2 AMONG DISCOUNT WHAT A TYPICAL RETAILER IN SALES PER STORE DOLLAR PAYSFOR According to an indust IY periodical, DISCOUNT MERCHANDISER, GEMCO ranked #2 ur members spend a lot of money in among the top 10 U.S. di •count retailers in 1984 for sales per store, and #5 in total sales. our stores and our job is to see that they get value-a good product at the right price. With your continued fi lie efforts GEMCO will remain one of America's finest discount department stores.