Asda offers more than cost-cutting

I read Sean Brierley’s article on cost-cutting (MW June 17) and confess to being slightly confused. In it he contends that keeping a keen eye on costs and offering great service and meaningful jobs were mutually exclusive.

On one hand he’s right. Hereat Asda we watch costs. However, judging by his assumption that a keen eye on costs means service and staff morale has to slip, he may not do his shopping with us.

It’s a misconception that a job at a supermarket can’t be rewarding and that cutting costs means cutting corners. We’re very proud that for four years we’ve been voted one of Britain’s best companies to work for by the Sunday Times. This a cause for great celebration, not concern.

More impressively, a recent Work Foundation report said that supermarkets, and Asda in particular, were leading the field in offering jobs that meet people’s work/life balance needs.

As for the result of a low-cost culture being poor customer service, he may have missed the TARP report that showed Asda customers are the most satisfied in the supermarket industry.

Finally, just last week Asda won The Grocer’s annual awards for best value retailer for the seventh year running and best for customers service for four years running. With so much to celebrate and be proud of, it’s a shame that we can’t congratulate our industry for trying so hard to do well for our customers.

Either way, we hope Mr Brierley will feel free to pop into one of our stores, where we’re always happy to help.

Chris Pilling

Marketing director

Asda

Leeds

E-mail address for letters: mw.editorial@centaur.co.uk Please include your home or business address