IF I’d known writing about Asda would create so much interest, I’d have done it years ago.
As well as being emailed out to more than 7,000 people I also publish this blog on Linkedin.
Last week’s set a record with 5,850 views on Linkedin and 146 likes.
Interestingly 671 people from Asda read the column with another 51 from George at Asda and 50 from Walmart on top of that – as well as 105 people from Morrisons who read it and over 50 from Sainsbury’s.
There were plenty of comments posted too – the majority in agreement with my views that Asda has lost its way and needs to find a route back to what made it so successful in the first place.
One comment simply said: “What a brutal, frank and damning article…but so true unfortunately.”
I take no pleasure in the current predicament in which Leeds-based supermarket group Asda finds itself.
Contrary to what it tells the market, in my view most of Asda’s problems are of its own making and I just pointed that out.
I used the phrase “frog marching” to describe the way the supermarket has been rapidly exiting its redundant staff at its Leeds head office.
What was interesting was that several people who have been victims, or watched it happen, used the same phrase, which suggests we are not talking about isolated incidents here.
For a business that prided itself on valuing its “colleagues” it doesn’t say much. Some former employees said it lost its way when it started to put profit before people.
Of course profit is key for any business, but if you invest and support your staff then the profits will come. You can’t buy morale, you have to build it.
Despite almost 800 people who are employed by Asda and Walmart reading my article, I’ve had no contact from the company itself.
In the past a worldly wise member of its public relations, media or marketing team might have picked up the phone or dropped me a line suggesting we meet for a coffee so they could provide some context or a counter argument to what I had said.
But maybe they have all been made redundant – I can’t remember the last time I read a positive story about Asda.
I was once approached about a job as head of PR at Asda.
I came to the conclusion that I wasn’t the type that would thrive in such an organisation and I could never have got on with wearing a smiley face badge and a George at Asda button down shirt.
The people that interviewed me must have come to the same conclusion because I wasn’t offered the job.
I went shopping in Asda last Friday after writing the blog.
I’m no stranger to the supermarket so I didn’t go expecting an epiphany.
But I saw enough to know that a good leader can get a grip of it and make that business work and those who know him say that new CEO Sean Clarke has the talent and ability to do that.
Let’s hope so, because the UK grocery sector will be a better place with a strong Asda.
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NOT everyone who read last week’s article on Asda agreed with it.
One lady, who works for Woolworths (remember them) in Australia, commented: “Seems like David is little bit angry. Few valid points but way article is written is seems like an angry person writing it who wants to insult someone, not a very professional article on professional forum, more like a movie critic article.”
I’ve channelled my anger and added her as a reference on my CV.
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LAST week saw the death of Frank Vincent, the American actor who often played gangsters in a range of films including Raging Bull.
This week saw the passing of the subject of that classic 1980 Martin Scorsese film, the former world middleweight boxing champion Jake LaMotta, at the age of 95.
Given he had won the world title back in 1949, Raging Bull brought the charismatic LaMotta to the attention of a whole new audience.
Robber, mugger, wife beater, pimp, LaMotta spent most of his life fighting with the world, never mind his battles in the ring.
It was only in his dotage that he seemed to find any kind of peace of mind.
Jake LaMotta, nicknamed the Bronx Bull for his relentless punching and ability to absorb tremendous punishment in the ring, fought during the golden age of boxing, particularly in the middleweight division.
Forget today’s over-hyped boxers, LaMotta campaigned at a time when the best fighters didn’t avoid each other. He won the title from the great Frenchman Marcel Cerdan and lost it to the even greater Sugar Ray Robinson.
Widely judged to be the best pound-for-pound boxer of all-time Sugar Ray and Jake LaMotta met on six occasions.
The Bronx Bull only won one of those bouts but it was the first defeat the stylish Sugar Ray suffered in over 120 fights.
“I fought Sugar Ray so many times I’m surprised I’m not diabetic,” quipped LaMotta.
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THE list of most popular children’s names in Britain was published this week with Oliver and Olivia topping the list.
Published by the Office of National Statistics, the list for 2016 showed the influence of films and TV on the names that some parents choose to give their children.
Harry Potter, Star Wars and Superman provided the inspiration for parents with 12 boys named Anakin, the real name of Darth Vader from Star Wars.
TV series Game of Thrones also proved a popular provider of names with more than 300 girls born in England and Wales last year named Arya – more than the number called traditional names like Mary or Catherine.
Five children were called Sansa and four girls were named Daenerys while another 69 were given the name Khaleesi – another title for the Mother of Dragons in the HBO show set in a fantasy world.
Mind you, it could be worse.
There is a character in the show called Little Finger.
Have a great weekend.