Ohakune New World does it again!

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 545, 19 July 1994, Page 7

Ohakune New World

does it again!

At the Wellington area's annual New World conference, this year held at the Wairaki resort complex, Ohakune New World was voted the best store in its division. Not only did it take overall honours but was also first in the meat, deli, grocery and checkout areas and second overall in produce. There were 27 stores in the division spread from New Plymouth to Napier and all the bottom half of the North Island. Stores range in age from two years old to virtually replacement-time and in size from 4000 up to 10,000 square feet. A. C. Neilson once again carried out the survey. The main aim of the survey is to try and lift the overall New World standard in light of today's fierce competition. The people from Nielson's carried out 10 checks which included a visit on a Monday through to Friday, two visits on a Saturday and a Sunday and a visit on a late night. Everything was checked from advertised specials, range of goods, customer relations, lighting, cleanliness throughout the store, staff uniforms and so on. Each visit, which was unannounced, took between half an hour to an hour in the Ohakune store. The store was given a list of acceptable and unacceptable comments and it was then up to the owners to fix the problems. Whereas Ohakune does not, as yet, face the severe competition the city stores do, they are forced to run their profile prices and this does cause cash-flow problems at various times in the year. So it is not possible to go out and do upgrades (as Ohakune did two years ago) every year. Expanding the store Store owners Alan and Karen Murdie have stated however, that the last stage in their store's development is planned to take place next April, finance and permits allowing. This will include a full bakery, new frozen food freezers, a sixth

checkout and an extension to their full range of products. This will hopefully be achieved by removing the entire wall behind the present deli fridge. The only alterations that have been programmed for this year included the addition of one more checkout, which has been done, and the extension of the product history file from 7500 lines to the upgrade of 11000 lines, which is due to take place in the next two weeks. A new telephone system was installed last week with the addition of two more EFTPOS terminals.

Perfection the aim While Alan admits their store is by no means perfect they are striving to improve it at all time. He admits he has been helped by having some very good, caring staff who treat the store as their own. Being a small store by today's standards the staff/ customer relationships are closer than city stores are able to build. All the staff are determined to win this award again next year and they hope to be able to add 'First in Produce and Bakery' along with the other array of trophies.