Company News • 15.08.2014

Walmart CEO Outlines Company’s Future

Being Customer-Driven, Investing in its People, Leading at the Forefront of Innovation and Technology

Walmart Inc. President and CEO Doug McMillon.
Walmart Inc. President and CEO Doug McMillon.
Source: Walmart Inc.

At the company’s Annual Shareholders Meeting, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. President and CEO Doug McMillon reaffirmed Walmart’s mission and outlined new ways the company will serve customers through three core principles.

“First, we will be a customer-driven company. We've always said the customer is our boss and we'll make decisions based on how we can serve them better,” said McMillon. “Second, we will invest in our people. As we change and grow, it will be our associates who will make the difference. Finally, we need to be at the forefront of innovation and technology. We will lead with urgency to get ahead of change.”

Customer-Driven

McMillon said Walmart is picking up the pace of change to serve the customer better. “Customers will increasingly expect and require the best of both worlds. They want the excitement and the immediacy of shopping in a physical store and the freedom to shop whenever, however and wherever they want. They want an experience that seamlessly adapts to their life. Walmart can bring together our stores with new digital commerce capabilities to help customers save money, save time, and have access to what they want and need. Walmart will exceed their expectations,” McMillon said.

McMillon continued, “Our stores, 11,000 and growing, will provide access and convenience. If you need it right here, right now, we've got it. We will run great stores and clubs with great associates. We'll keep adding services and pick-up points to our stores to become even more convenient. We’ll also strive to have collection points wherever our customers want us to be, and we’ve seen the demand for food delivery in places like the U.K., Mexico and China. And of course, we'll keep improving our traditional e-commerce offering of ordering online and shipping to customers' homes.”

McMillon also discussed how Walmart would run better stores today to drive same-store sales. He called for: “Price leadership. Strong in stock. Friendly customer service and compelling merchandise. Items that surprise and delight. Merchandise that is presented aggressively. When we’re at our best, the features in our stores anticipate what our customers want and need,” he said.

President and CEO of Sam’s Club Rosalind Brewer spoke about the importance of personalizing the customer and member experience. “Today at Walmart, our data is more organized, more analyzed and more visualized than ever,” said Brewer. “This is helping us make faster and smarter business decisions. But most important, it's helping personalize our service to customers and members. Retailers that lead on data and personalization will be the retailers of the future.”

Investing in Our Associates

McMillon also emphasized the importance of Walmart’s associates and said they are the company’s competitive advantage. “To bring all of this to life, we're investing in our people,” he said. “I'm proud of the jobs and opportunities we offer, and we can do an even better job of creating opportunities to learn and grow. We'll prepare our associates to serve customers better, while building the careers you want at Walmart.” 

President and CEO of Walmart U.S. Bill Simon said the company is investing in new programs that will give associates even more opportunity. “We're re-defining what it means to work at Walmart and we're going to be even clearer about what it takes for associates to advance. We're working to create more flexible work schedules to support you and the needs of all our associates, now and in the future,” Simon said.  

Leading at the Forefront of Technology and Innovation

“We will also develop new capabilities to serve customers in new ways. It is important that we all understand the shift that has happened in technology and retail, what it means for us and what we’re doing to win. There’s a lot of innovation and opportunity available to us.” McMillon said.

President and CEO of Walmart International David Cheesewright focused on how customers are changing and how associates are innovating to exceed their expectations. “Wherever we operate, everything starts with the customer, and I see customers’ shopping habits changing more rapidly than I can remember,” said Cheesewright. “Customers are shopping more online, with mobile devices, and they really like convenience. If our customer changes fast, we have to change even faster if we want to continue to exceed her expectations.”  

President and CEO of Walmart Global eCommerce Neil Ashe highlighted the strong growth of e-commerce sales and how Walmart is bringing together digital and physical retail to serve customers better. “We are integrating digital retail and physical retail to create one seamless, customer-driven Walmart experience. This is providing our shoppers with more value, more time, and greater access,” said Ashe. “We are helping people save money in new and convenient ways so they can live a better life. And we’re doing it by bringing together the best of e-commerce and the best of retail.”  

Keeping Its Culture Strong, Always 

McMillon reaffirmed Walmart’s commitment to its purpose, culture and values. “Our values won’t change. Integrity, service, respect and excellence – these are our guiding beliefs and our behaviors will support those beliefs.  Our culture is what makes us special,” McMillon said.  

“We believe in Walmart's responsibility to lead on big issues, in big ways. It’s one of the reasons many of us love being part of Walmart. There are so many ways that Walmart can make a difference around the world. We're committed to doing just that. We will strengthen the trust we've established with customers and the communities we serve,” said McMillon.  

For more information or to watch a replay of the shareholders meeting webcast, please visit http://news.walmart.com/events/walmart-shareholders-meeting-2014.

Source: Walmart Inc.

related articles:

popular articles:

Thumbnail-Photo: The global state of autonomous stores
18.12.2023   #Tech in Retail #self-checkout systems

The global state of autonomous stores

The stores are located in various retail segments such as food retail, fashion, electronics, convenience stores and fast food.

In a highly competitive global retail landscape, autonomous stores are an emerging force that addresses changing consumer behaviors, reduces operational costs, improves profitability, and powers revenue growth strategies. Advancements in autonomous ...

Thumbnail-Photo: EuroCIS 2024: Go beyond today!
16.10.2023   #retail #Tech in Retail

EuroCIS 2024: Go beyond today!

27 to 29 February 2024 will see the Who’s Who of Europe’s retail technology sector meet in Düsseldorf

Go beyond today! EuroCIS at the end of February will once again show solutions and products for the retail of the future @Messe DüsseldorfIn late February, numerous companies will again exhibit solutions and products for retailers to shape and ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Ask the Bot: generative AI in retail
02.01.2024   #Tech in Retail #food retail

Ask the Bot: generative AI in retail

Revolution in retail: the era of generative AI and AI bots

They are able to analyse data, write product descriptions, answer shoppers’ questions or write codes...

Thumbnail-Photo: Tesco to introduce new scan-free technology on self-service tills at...
03.01.2024   #brick and mortar retail #Tech in Retail

Tesco to introduce new scan-free technology on self-service tills at GetGo store

Seamless Shopping Revolution: Tesco Tests Scan-Free Technology in London

Tesco is trialling an exciting new technology innovation that means customers don’t need to scan their items ...

Thumbnail-Photo: EuroCIS 2024 - technology special
11.12.2023   #online trading #e-commerce

EuroCIS 2024 - technology special

The latest technology solutions and trends for you and the retail sector

At EuroCIS 2022 from February 27 to 29, 2024, the Leading Trade Fair for Retail Technology, we will be looking at all the important and current topics relating to technology in retail: AI and Machine Learning, Payment, Connected Retail, Seamless Store and Smart Energy Management and many more.

Thumbnail-Photo: Out of Stock in Retail and innovative solutions to avoid them...
07.11.2023   #brick and mortar retail #customer satisfaction

Out of Stock in Retail and innovative solutions to avoid them

Due to various events, the availability of goods in retail will be increasingly restricted from 2022, with the result that customers cannot find in food retail the products they wish to buy, because those products are sold out, are temporarily ...

Thumbnail-Photo: MPREIS Transforms Operations with Zebra Workcloud Task Management™...
06.11.2023   #customer experience #software developement

MPREIS Transforms Operations with Zebra Workcloud Task Management™ Software Solution

Austrian food retailer to streamline communication in around 300 stores to improve staff engagement, inventory optimisation, and customer satisfaction

MPREIS has around 300 Austrian stores in regions across Tyrol...

Thumbnail-Photo: Trigo and Netto Announce Autonomous Supermarket with Real-Time Receipt...
24.01.2024   #Tech in Retail #artificial intelligence

Trigo and Netto Announce Autonomous Supermarket with Real-Time Receipt Capability.

‘Final step’ in frictionless shopping drives trust by enabling consumers to view their receipts BEFORE leaving the store
Full size 800m2 grocery supermarket powered by computer vision AI is Europe’s largest retrofitted frictionless store

Trigo, a leading provider of AI computer vision technology that transforms traditional brick-and-mortar retail outlets into digital smart stores, and discount supermarket chain Netto Marken-Discount (also known as Netto), have partnered to launch ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Payment as a success factor: more than just paying...
15.01.2024   #Tech in Retail #payment systems

Payment as a success factor: more than just paying

Flashback to 1994: databases and ERP systems, first commercial websites, mobile phones with colour displays, CD-ROMs, Java as a programming language ...

Thumbnail-Photo: New German vending partner for ITL
30.11.2023   #Tech in Retail #cash management

New German vending partner for ITL

Innovative Technology (ITL) have recently announced Bernd Boddart as their latest trading partner

Bernd Boddart will be supplying their cash validation and biometric age verification solutions to the German vending market. Bernd Boddart, based in Mönchengladbach, Germany, have 30 years of experience in the field of coffee machines, table ...

Supplier

Captana GmbH
Captana GmbH
Bundesstraße 16
77955 Ettenheim
Innovative Technology Ltd.
Innovative Technology Ltd.
Innovative Business Park
OL1 4EQ Oldham
REMIRA Group GmbH
REMIRA Group GmbH
Phoenixplatz 2
44263 Dortmund
Zebra Technologies Germany GmbH
Zebra Technologies Germany GmbH
Ernst-Dietrich-Platz 2
40882 Ratingen