Tuesday, March 06, 2012

Cinta Kura-Kura

Performance Appraisal - just had my work performance review done with Stewart. It went alright. It’s not too bad considering that I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do. I don’t even know how to evaluate myself at all :) Stewart has given me both of the positive & negative comments. The positive are - that I am honest, a team player, mature enough to make decisions, to run the business…while the negative are…that I am not that open minded nor patient enough when there are new changes. As fas as I know, I am the most patient & adaptable person in the room. I always believe that if you don’t try, you never know what the outcome will be like. Unfortunately, the changes that the French incorporate are like a brick wall in front of me. It is wrong. It has proven to be wrong. We have historical data to back it up yet we are still repeating, doing the same thing all over again. It’s like going in circles with no conclusions. They have never come up with something that for once convinces me that it is workable. So, how am I going to be open minded, receptive and embrace it openly?

A classic case will be – our First Avenue store in Penang. It’s a mini-hyper store format. At least 90% of the selling floor has to be grocery & fresh driven, no…the top management wanted branded non-food stuffs to be made available as well, such as the Tefal & Maxim frying pans, Luminarc glassware…we have already open USJ 19, Bangsar South and Axis…yet we still repeat the same mistake. Malaysian customers will prefer to go to the more bigger hypermarkets or departmental stores if they need to buy such household items. And now, we have to waste our time to re-do our assortment review for the First Avenue store, which in the first place can be avoided if we do things the first time right.

The only significant improvement that I have to applaud is the Forecast Tool and the Top Project. So, I am doing things MY WAY, which is a bit painful because I am going against the current. I no longer believe :)

1 comment:

C said...

hmm - i wonder if they pay attention to consumer types/behaviours.

i think you're right. if there's historical data to prove it, it's not good to lose money over repeating mistakes. but if there's a new concept store that can be opened and it works, then by all means do it.

also, i speak from personal experience lah yingze.....if i'm in the city on my way home from work, and i stop into the grocer's, it's to pick up some fish,meat, veg, or pasta/rice that i need...or herbs/spices. the other kitchenware items are weekend specific shopping items for me (if needed), and i'll go to a place that has more options rather than a few..

so, you do know what you're talking about. your bosses don't!