Walmart: Top 10 facts
Since its establishment in 1962, Walmart has become one of the most renowned corporations in America, and has since increased its operations worldwide. From a small discount store in Rodgers, Arkansas, to a multinational success, take a look at our top 10 facts surrounding Walmart’s rise within the business world.
1. The views of the customer have now become as important as hitting all financial targets within the business world. Walmart’s retail stance originates from Sam Walton back in 1918, where he stated: “The secret of successful retailing is to give your customers what they want. And really, if you think about it from your point of view as a customer, you want everything: a wide assortment of good-quality merchandise; the lowest possible prices; guaranteed satisfaction with what you buy; friendly, knowledgeable service; convenient hours; free parking; a pleasant shopping experience." This still remains true today and has cemented Walmart’s success as a retailer as the company grew internationally.
2. Walmart has become a company which enables employees to grow and gain fulfilling careers, with over 70 percent of senior staff working on the shop floor, all the way to the top. Their training programmes and work experience offered enable employees to gain a breadth of experience and knowledge of the company’s operations throughout their career.
3. The company help support small, upcoming businesses through Sam's Club, officially launched by Sam Walton back in 1983. Sam’s Club has become iconic in helping businesses buy in bulk at lower costs.
4. By embracing a modern retail experience for consumers, Walmart provides a digital platform to purchase goods through traditional web applications, but also through mobile apps, which have become a staple for customers worldwide.
5. Walmart also offer to take old phones off consumers hands and partake in the smartphone trade-in program in collaboration with CExhange.
6. The company place an increased focus on sustainability through their Zero-Waste-to-Landfill Program, incorporating 50 separate waste categories and develop more sustainable packaging in all their products. The company also donates food to local organisations and have successful worked in partnership with suppliers create renewable energy from various products.
7. Walmart has recently released their plans to invest in communities across the country. This will include providing essential guidance for over 30,000 roles and training, including support within the company e-commerce services.
8. The company has also stated it will be “announcing grants to six US universities through the U.S. Manufacturing Innovation Fund to advance sustainability and innovation in textile manufacturing”.
9. To ensure efficient training for staff is thorough and advantageous, the company will be launching new training academics this summer, where trainees will undergo training in a variety of different areas of the business and promote career opportunities within the company for its staff.
10. Since 2013, Walmart has hired veterans who have been discharged within their first year of service to integrate these individuals back into the community and enable them to grow both personally and professionally.