"The SMART Network: Customer First Management" programme, 28 July 1998

Recording of a special business television programme for Sainsbury's staff (mainly store management teams) about the trial of the new "customer first management" (CFM) structure at some Sainsbury’s stores. The programme was broadcast on the "SMART" network (Sainsbury's Management and Retail Television) on 28 July 1998 by satellite to Sainsbury's stores, depots and offices. It was presented by John Howard in the studio, joined by Bill Williams (Deputy Retail Director) and Alex Camara (CFM Project Leader).

Seven stores took part in the trial: Leamington Spa, East Grinstead, Clifton Down, Woking, Cheadle, Fulham, and Whitechapel. The new structure meant that the roles, responsibilities and job titles of each person in the store management team would change significantly.

Contents:
1. Introduction by presenter and brief explanations by Bill Williams and Alex Camara about the structure.
2. Report from two trial stores with the new structure, with staff talking about their new roles. Discusses changes including duty manager role, training, ordering role, issues dealt with. Includes footage of Whitechapel store exterior, staff at work, store interior, customers, product displays, and office.
3. Interview of Bill Williams and Alex Camara about the new structure. Topics discussed include: plans for pilot and how this varies from the trials; reassurance about assistant manager status and role; feedback; career prospects; training.
4. Break in programme for staff discussion (this would have been for 25 minutes, but is cut short on this recording).
5. Interview of Bill Williams and Alex Camara. Topics discussed include: responsibility for stock loss; staff schedules with early and late shifts.
6. Phone-in questions from staff at various stores and answers from Bill Williams and Alex Camara. Topics include: number of managers on shop floor and how long the structure is likely to last; ordering roles; career progression; duty manager roles; assessing departmental managers performance with change to ordering role; personnel and training manager role; reception manager role; reassurance on pay grading; responsibility for warehouse and reception; administration role; working hours and optional four day week; whether jobs will be less challenging and varied and concern whether some will leave the company; customer service and working hours; impact on smaller stores with small management teams; financial role.
7. Alex Camara and Bill Williams interviewed about planned schedule and when the outcome will be known.

Duration: 49 minutes. Produced by Sainsbury’s Group Internal Communications in association with CTN [Corporate Television Networks].

There are seven additional videos of unedited footage ("rushes") for this video.