LOWE’S CROWFOOT CALGARY

This store, which has served the Calgary community since 1995, went through a rough few years of negative sales. But all that changed in 2017 when Lowe’s brought on store manager Ahsan Rana. Ahsan hired two new assistant managers, and together, their team turned things around at this struggling store.

The change in management proved so positive that by 2018, Crowfoot’s sales increased by more than 20 percent and customer satisfaction was up by 18 points. The store has seen strong growth even as the local economy has been suffering and high unemployment has impacted the entire city.

While Calgary is the country’s fifthlargest metropolitan area, it is heavily dependent on the oil and gas industries. When the price of oil collapsed in 2015, the local economy underwent its hardest and longest downturn.

In the face of these challenges, hoping to turn things around at the store, Ahsan and his assistant managers reassigned department managers to areas where they felt most comfortable. With nearly 200 people on staff, they also aimed to get the team to pull together as a family, so they got a social committee up and running. The very active committee gets employees engaged through numerous get-togethers, potlucks and barbecues. These activities have helped foster close relationships between team members, who now thrive in the store environment.

Employee retention is crucial to keeping the store running smoothly. So not only are staff offered regular feedback, managers spend time working directly with their teams, offering in-the-moment coaching.

Both full-time and part-time employees receive guaranteed hours, medical and dental benefits, RRSP matching options and sick pay. They also have access to bonus, vacation pay, tuition reimbursement and employee and family assistance programs.

The store also runs a “Star” recognition program to acknowledge and recognize employees, where the names of associates who get good customer feedback are written on a white board. From the names on the board, management does a weekly draw for a free lunch.

Because employees feel so appreciated, they pass that feeling along to customers. Ahsan describes Lowe’s Crowfoot as a neighbourhood big box store. Many employees and customers know each other by name. And word of mouth serves as their best marketing tool. While there are a number of strong competitors nearby, they use that as motivation to push harder and aim higher to deliver a better experience for customers.

Giving back to the community they serve is a priority at Lowe’s Crowfoot. Staff volunteer and support a number of local fundraising initiatives. In 2018, the store raised more than $18,000 to help renovate a local school. And half-way through 2019, they had already raised $16,000 for the Children’s Miracle Network.

For their efforts, the team was recognized by Lowe’s Canada head office team for the Store of the Year Award in 2018 and Community Leader of the Year Award.

WINNER 2019 Outstanding Retailer Awards