Growing up in Buffalo, NY, we did not have many selections of grocery stores. However, my mom never complained about this because she fell in love (literally) with not only a grocery store, but a SUPERmarket chain named Wegman's.
Obviously, this does not look like any other grocery store. The lighting, style, and displays make it look almost extravagant, but still, not too over the top. Not only does this supermarket contain aisles of daily necessities, but the stores also house Market Cafe's, full of freshly prepared and cook to order food, full-service pharmacies, bakeries, butchers, and more. They even have a kids' center, called WKids, where parents can drop of their children so they can shop in peace. (I used to love going grocery shopping with my mom for this reason.) Multiple errand trips can be avoided with this one stop.
Coming to visit Wegman's with the Orange Team was like trip from my past. Is it weird to say I missed it? Wegman's offers all of these services which makes it unique, but when we asked one of their employees, Karen, what makes them SO special, she answered, without hesitation, "The people we hire." From the moment we walked through the doors, the happy and helpful atmosphere was present. Signs pointing where to go for what, employees with shirts saying, "Ask Me," and just smiles all around would make anyone glad to go grocery shopping. For lack of better words, everything just looked so clean and well-kept. Employees definitely take pride in their work: I have never seen that before at ANY grocery store.
We sat down with Karen to talk about Wegman's in general. Instead of learning about what they sell, she got right down to WHY they are successful. Not only do they offer all of these services, but also, the heads of the company take great care of their workers. For as long as I can remember, Wegman's has been ranked one of the top one hundred places to work for. This does not only apply for those who are full-time. They hire various ages, and for those entering college, they welcome them to apply for scholarships which the heads generally award to each store. Therefore, the people LOVE working here and take pride in providing amazing service. Whether it is helping a customer find a unique item or reaching that top box of cereal on the shelf, they are happy to do their jobs each day. Happy workers=happy customers.
Who would have thought working at a grocery store would be so much fun?
One of the major things Karen talked to us about was equality. Different levels of employees may wear different shirts, but everyone has the same name-tag: with their name and how many years they have been serving customers. No matter how high up they are, they are never too high to pick up a fallen product or spill that could lead to a customer injury. Everyone helps out. I thought this was a very honorable act. They could easily put "Manager" on their name-tag or call someone to clean up the spill, but instead, they leave their position out to show that they are all here for one purpose, serving customers, no matter how highly ranked they are.
Coming into this excursion, I was not sure what to expect from this experience. But during the trip, I realized how much it can relate to us at New Student Orientation. First and for most, we must remember why we are here: the students. No matter what session it is, we have to act like it's our first session with our highest energy. Sometimes, this may mean running on five hours of sleep because we stayed up too late playing games at Easton Ave Apartments or helping each other out because one of us just is not having a good day. Wegman's emphasizes being a team: which is what we are, too. Each employee is hired for a certain reason, as were we. We are all different in our own way. Whether we are the outspoken individuals or the more quiet yet thoughtful ones, we are here for sole purpose of helping others.
Another main Wegman's concept we can relate to is versatility. Each staff member is trained in multiple areas to ensure that they can help out other places than their specialty when needed. For example, Karen worked at the Florist just during the Valentine's Day rush. Each one of us on NSO has different interests. Therefore, we will have students who will relate to those hobbies, activities, clubs, majors, etc. We, individually, may not know the answer, but we can use and depend on each other as resources of knowledge. The students will appreciate it greatly if they know there is someone they can talk to. That simple reference can go a long way and make them even more comfortable in their transition.
Here are some key points for us to remember this summer, inspired by Wegman's:
1. Happy workers=happy customers
2. Equality
3. Sole purpose: the students
4.Versatility
Wegman's even have their own blog (just like us!) If you're interested in healthy recipes from their own workers, success stories, and more, check out: Fresh Stories.
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| Of course, fresh produce |
I could not resist putting some pictures of the foods they offer: not only on shelves, but also made by order!
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| Their very own sushi bar! |
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| Old-Fashioned Sub station |
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| Many of their products sold are from their own brand! |
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| And even specialty cupcakes! |
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