Sum up the information about the ways Safeway tries to improve their customer service and how people react to them.

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 461.

International Herald Tribune (adapted)

Read the story again and answer the following questions:

When did Safeway launch its Superior Service Program?

What are the key rules of the program?

How does the company encourage staff to follow the rules?

What is the job of «mystery shoppers»?

How are those who do well rewarded?

What happens it the results of the performance evaluation are low?

How do the sales people react?

What side effects are described in the article?

What morale problems among the staff have resulted from the implementation of the programme?

What other things may cause problems? Why?

Task 6. Give Russian equivalents for the following phrases:

to make eye contact with the customer;

to offer samples;

to make suggestions about other possible purchases;

to accompany customers to locate items they cannot find;

at the checkout;

to encourage staff to follow the rules;

an undisclosed number;

to earn a chance at winning $500 worth of company stock;

to receive additional bonuses;

to affect the performance evaluations;

to brighten the shopping experience;

to draw mixed reactions;

to have some unexpected side effects;

to misinterpret friendliness;

the whole program is contributing to growing morale problems among the staff;

to feel overstressed;

to mark down;

to go through a painful divorce;

to cause problems;

customers seek to be accompanied for an extended period.