3月下旬的48小時(shí)內(nèi),百思買的新任首席執(zhí)行官科麗·巴里做出一系列決定,極大地改變了這家消費(fèi)電子零售商的面貌:從3月22日開(kāi)始,百思買不再允許購(gòu)物者進(jìn)入全美1,000家門店。取而代之的是,員工會(huì)把訂購(gòu)商品交付給在路邊等候的顧客。
去年6月,巴里為百思買規(guī)劃了一幅行動(dòng)路線圖,助力這家消費(fèi)電子連鎖零售商敏捷地實(shí)現(xiàn)電商轉(zhuǎn)型,并由此獲得該公司最高職位。現(xiàn)在,就在她即將迎來(lái)履新一周年之際,巴里又開(kāi)始重新規(guī)劃公司的未來(lái)。在百思買轉(zhuǎn)為路邊取貨之后,其銷售額僅比上一年同期下降30%。與其他零售商的悲慘境遇相比,這點(diǎn)打擊實(shí)在不算什么。盡管如此,巴里仍然不得不讓12.5萬(wàn)名百思買員工中的5.1萬(wàn)人“無(wú)薪休假”,她自己也主動(dòng)減薪50%——至少在9月之前。
為應(yīng)對(duì)新冠疫情,消費(fèi)者不僅大量囤積食品雜貨,他們也開(kāi)始購(gòu)買百思買的冰箱和冰柜。在各大零售門店外,購(gòu)物者排起的長(zhǎng)隊(duì)橫貫整個(gè)街區(qū),迫使巴里不得不對(duì)銷售模式進(jìn)行動(dòng)態(tài)挑戰(zhàn)?!爸辽儆幸晃慌抨?duì)的顧客查到了我的電話號(hào)碼,告訴我有些人在排隊(duì)時(shí)沒(méi)有遵守社交距離政策。”她說(shuō)。
多年來(lái),百思買一直秉持著這樣一種運(yùn)營(yíng)理念:家庭與科技將變得更加“互聯(lián)”。 冠狀病毒加速了這一趨勢(shì)。她說(shuō):“我們的目標(biāo)從來(lái)沒(méi)有如此真實(shí)?!币韵率墙?jīng)過(guò)編輯的訪談實(shí)錄。
《財(cái)富》:大約600家百思買門店在今年5月通過(guò)提前預(yù)約的方式重新開(kāi)業(yè)。你怎么知道現(xiàn)在是重新?tīng)I(yíng)業(yè)的正確時(shí)機(jī)?
科麗·巴里:我們很早就被幾乎每個(gè)州和市政府確定為“必不可少的”零售商。但我們覺(jué)得,隨著時(shí)間的推移,是時(shí)候從必需品零售轉(zhuǎn)為安全零售了。顯然,人們需要我們賣的東西,在某些情況下,他們真的需要我們上門服務(wù),比如說(shuō)他們家的冰箱壞了。讓哪家門店重新?tīng)I(yíng)業(yè),是由一系列因素綜合決定的。比如,我們必須考慮當(dāng)?shù)匾咔樘幱谑裁措A段,當(dāng)?shù)卣趶?fù)工復(fù)產(chǎn)方面有哪些規(guī)定,我們?cè)诋?dāng)?shù)赜卸嗌賳T工能上崗,等等。老實(shí)說(shuō),對(duì)于重新?tīng)I(yíng)業(yè)的正確時(shí)機(jī)或者重新?tīng)I(yíng)業(yè)后的需求狀況,我們并沒(méi)有十足的把握。在重新開(kāi)業(yè)首日,到下午3點(diǎn)的時(shí)候,我的收件箱已經(jīng)收到了來(lái)自各個(gè)門店的反饋信息,讓我知道哪些措施行之有效,哪些行不通。我們已經(jīng)開(kāi)始進(jìn)行一些調(diào)整。
預(yù)約模式是如何運(yùn)作的?你把它比作約會(huì)。
你可以打電話、上網(wǎng),或者直接去門店預(yù)約。接下來(lái),我們會(huì)提前打電話,告訴你一些注意事項(xiàng)。我們會(huì)要求你戴口罩。等你來(lái)到門店的時(shí)候,我們會(huì)備好現(xiàn)貨。然后,一位同事會(huì)與你結(jié)伴而行,引導(dǎo)你走完在店內(nèi)購(gòu)物的全部流程。每個(gè)人都朝著一個(gè)特定方向移動(dòng),沿途是有標(biāo)記的,所以很容易保持社會(huì)距離。根據(jù)店面的大小——我們的營(yíng)業(yè)面積從2萬(wàn)到6萬(wàn)平方英尺不等——我們可能會(huì)同時(shí)接待10到24名顧客。
一些門店現(xiàn)在重新開(kāi)張了,這是不是一個(gè)讓部分被解雇員工(共計(jì)5.1萬(wàn)人)重返工作崗位的機(jī)會(huì)?或者說(shuō),還需要發(fā)生什么事情才能做到這一點(diǎn)?
在目前這個(gè)時(shí)點(diǎn),我們還不能召回這些員工。現(xiàn)在還不行。我們相信我們可以利用現(xiàn)有員工來(lái)運(yùn)作這種模式。我真的不知道什么時(shí)候才會(huì)更像以前的模式。
我們還能回到以前那種隨便走進(jìn)商場(chǎng)購(gòu)物的日子嗎?
這就是我覺(jué)得不一樣的地方。我們不能用昨天的零售手冊(cè)來(lái)解決今天的問(wèn)題。只是假設(shè)一下,周末可能會(huì)出現(xiàn)大量的需求,人們?cè)敢庠俅巫哌M(jìn)商場(chǎng)購(gòu)物,而且我們可以創(chuàng)造足夠遠(yuǎn)的社交距離,這樣員工才有安全感。但在平日里,我們采用預(yù)約制,那是一種更受約束的購(gòu)物體驗(yàn)。路邊取貨會(huì)一直存在下去。我認(rèn)為零售手冊(cè)不太可能回歸以前的模樣。
讓顧客和員工在店里感到安全是一回事。公司員工呢?他們近期會(huì)重新回到辦公室上班嗎?
在我們的內(nèi)心深處,我們?nèi)匀挥X(jué)得百思買是那種老派零售商:“門店復(fù)工在即,大家都要回去上班了!”我們?cè)缇椭牢覀冃枰淖?,但一直沒(méi)有足夠的動(dòng)力去做這件事。然后,一夜之間,我們所有的公司員工,大約5000人,都在家工作。但總體來(lái)說(shuō),他們的工作效率高得令人難以置信。
所以,我們將非常謹(jǐn)慎地制定一個(gè)很有階段性的復(fù)工計(jì)劃。我們的團(tuán)隊(duì)將會(huì)考慮每一個(gè)細(xì)節(jié)。比如,需要戴口罩嗎?可能吧,如果你是在一個(gè)共享空間工作的話。走進(jìn)辦公樓時(shí),還要測(cè)量體溫嗎?很可能,如果這樣做確實(shí)能夠降低病毒傳播幾率。更多的人可能會(huì)在家工作。彈性工作制將變得更加常態(tài)化。(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:任文科
3月下旬的48小時(shí)內(nèi),百思買的新任首席執(zhí)行官科麗·巴里做出一系列決定,極大地改變了這家消費(fèi)電子零售商的面貌:從3月22日開(kāi)始,百思買不再允許購(gòu)物者進(jìn)入全美1,000家門店。取而代之的是,員工會(huì)把訂購(gòu)商品交付給在路邊等候的顧客。
去年6月,巴里為百思買規(guī)劃了一幅行動(dòng)路線圖,助力這家消費(fèi)電子連鎖零售商敏捷地實(shí)現(xiàn)電商轉(zhuǎn)型,并由此獲得該公司最高職位?,F(xiàn)在,就在她即將迎來(lái)履新一周年之際,巴里又開(kāi)始重新規(guī)劃公司的未來(lái)。在百思買轉(zhuǎn)為路邊取貨之后,其銷售額僅比上一年同期下降30%。與其他零售商的悲慘境遇相比,這點(diǎn)打擊實(shí)在不算什么。盡管如此,巴里仍然不得不讓12.5萬(wàn)名百思買員工中的5.1萬(wàn)人“無(wú)薪休假”,她自己也主動(dòng)減薪50%——至少在9月之前。
為應(yīng)對(duì)新冠疫情,消費(fèi)者不僅大量囤積食品雜貨,他們也開(kāi)始購(gòu)買百思買的冰箱和冰柜。在各大零售門店外,購(gòu)物者排起的長(zhǎng)隊(duì)橫貫整個(gè)街區(qū),迫使巴里不得不對(duì)銷售模式進(jìn)行動(dòng)態(tài)挑戰(zhàn)?!爸辽儆幸晃慌抨?duì)的顧客查到了我的電話號(hào)碼,告訴我有些人在排隊(duì)時(shí)沒(méi)有遵守社交距離政策。”她說(shuō)。
多年來(lái),百思買一直秉持著這樣一種運(yùn)營(yíng)理念:家庭與科技將變得更加“互聯(lián)”。 冠狀病毒加速了這一趨勢(shì)。她說(shuō):“我們的目標(biāo)從來(lái)沒(méi)有如此真實(shí)?!币韵率墙?jīng)過(guò)編輯的訪談實(shí)錄。
《財(cái)富》:大約600家百思買門店在今年5月通過(guò)提前預(yù)約的方式重新開(kāi)業(yè)。你怎么知道現(xiàn)在是重新?tīng)I(yíng)業(yè)的正確時(shí)機(jī)?
科麗·巴里:我們很早就被幾乎每個(gè)州和市政府確定為“必不可少的”零售商。但我們覺(jué)得,隨著時(shí)間的推移,是時(shí)候從必需品零售轉(zhuǎn)為安全零售了。顯然,人們需要我們賣的東西,在某些情況下,他們真的需要我們上門服務(wù),比如說(shuō)他們家的冰箱壞了。讓哪家門店重新?tīng)I(yíng)業(yè),是由一系列因素綜合決定的。比如,我們必須考慮當(dāng)?shù)匾咔樘幱谑裁措A段,當(dāng)?shù)卣趶?fù)工復(fù)產(chǎn)方面有哪些規(guī)定,我們?cè)诋?dāng)?shù)赜卸嗌賳T工能上崗,等等。老實(shí)說(shuō),對(duì)于重新?tīng)I(yíng)業(yè)的正確時(shí)機(jī)或者重新?tīng)I(yíng)業(yè)后的需求狀況,我們并沒(méi)有十足的把握。在重新開(kāi)業(yè)首日,到下午3點(diǎn)的時(shí)候,我的收件箱已經(jīng)收到了來(lái)自各個(gè)門店的反饋信息,讓我知道哪些措施行之有效,哪些行不通。我們已經(jīng)開(kāi)始進(jìn)行一些調(diào)整。
預(yù)約模式是如何運(yùn)作的?你把它比作約會(huì)。
你可以打電話、上網(wǎng),或者直接去門店預(yù)約。接下來(lái),我們會(huì)提前打電話,告訴你一些注意事項(xiàng)。我們會(huì)要求你戴口罩。等你來(lái)到門店的時(shí)候,我們會(huì)備好現(xiàn)貨。然后,一位同事會(huì)與你結(jié)伴而行,引導(dǎo)你走完在店內(nèi)購(gòu)物的全部流程。每個(gè)人都朝著一個(gè)特定方向移動(dòng),沿途是有標(biāo)記的,所以很容易保持社會(huì)距離。根據(jù)店面的大小——我們的營(yíng)業(yè)面積從2萬(wàn)到6萬(wàn)平方英尺不等——我們可能會(huì)同時(shí)接待10到24名顧客。
一些門店現(xiàn)在重新開(kāi)張了,這是不是一個(gè)讓部分被解雇員工(共計(jì)5.1萬(wàn)人)重返工作崗位的機(jī)會(huì)?或者說(shuō),還需要發(fā)生什么事情才能做到這一點(diǎn)?
在目前這個(gè)時(shí)點(diǎn),我們還不能召回這些員工?,F(xiàn)在還不行。我們相信我們可以利用現(xiàn)有員工來(lái)運(yùn)作這種模式。我真的不知道什么時(shí)候才會(huì)更像以前的模式。
我們還能回到以前那種隨便走進(jìn)商場(chǎng)購(gòu)物的日子嗎?
這就是我覺(jué)得不一樣的地方。我們不能用昨天的零售手冊(cè)來(lái)解決今天的問(wèn)題。只是假設(shè)一下,周末可能會(huì)出現(xiàn)大量的需求,人們?cè)敢庠俅巫哌M(jìn)商場(chǎng)購(gòu)物,而且我們可以創(chuàng)造足夠遠(yuǎn)的社交距離,這樣員工才有安全感。但在平日里,我們采用預(yù)約制,那是一種更受約束的購(gòu)物體驗(yàn)。路邊取貨會(huì)一直存在下去。我認(rèn)為零售手冊(cè)不太可能回歸以前的模樣。
讓顧客和員工在店里感到安全是一回事。公司員工呢?他們近期會(huì)重新回到辦公室上班嗎?
在我們的內(nèi)心深處,我們?nèi)匀挥X(jué)得百思買是那種老派零售商:“門店復(fù)工在即,大家都要回去上班了!”我們?cè)缇椭牢覀冃枰淖儯恢睕](méi)有足夠的動(dòng)力去做這件事。然后,一夜之間,我們所有的公司員工,大約5000人,都在家工作。但總體來(lái)說(shuō),他們的工作效率高得令人難以置信。
所以,我們將非常謹(jǐn)慎地制定一個(gè)很有階段性的復(fù)工計(jì)劃。我們的團(tuán)隊(duì)將會(huì)考慮每一個(gè)細(xì)節(jié)。比如,需要戴口罩嗎?可能吧,如果你是在一個(gè)共享空間工作的話。走進(jìn)辦公樓時(shí),還要測(cè)量體溫嗎?很可能,如果這樣做確實(shí)能夠降低病毒傳播幾率。更多的人可能會(huì)在家工作。彈性工作制將變得更加常態(tài)化。(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:任文科
In 48 hours in late march, Corie Barry, the new CEO of Best Buy, made a flurry of decisions that dramatically transformed the electronics retailer: On March 22, Best Buy stopped allowing shoppers inside all 1,000 of its U.S. stores. Instead, employees would run orders out to customers waiting curbside.
Barry landed the top job at the electronics chain last June by plotting a path forward for Best Buy that deftly navigated shifts in e-commerce. Now, as she approaches her first anniversary, she’s again reimagining the company’s future. After Best Buy switched to curbside pickup, sales dropped just 30% compared with the prior year’s. While this proved a much smaller hit than what other retailers suffered, Barry still had to furlough 51,000 of the company’s 125,000 employees—and take a 50% pay cut herself until at least September.
As consumers loaded up on groceries to prepare for the pandemic, they also stocked up on Best Buy fridges and freezers. Lines outside stores stretched around the block, forcing Barry to adjust the model on the fly. “At least one customer in that line tracked down my phone number to let me know people were not socially distanced in that line,” she says.
For years, Best Buy has operated on a thesis that homes will become more “connected” with technology; the coronavirus has sped up that trend. “Never has our purpose been more real,” she says. The Q&A below has been edited for length and clarity.
Fortune: You are now, in May, reopening some 600 of your stores by appointment only. How do you know it’s the right time to reopen?
Corie Barry: We were named very early on an essential retailer by almost every state and municipality. But we felt like, as the weeks went on, it was time to move from essential retailing into safe retailing. Clearly people need the things we sell, and in some cases they really need us in their homes. Like if they have a broken fridge. Where you open is going to be dictated by a combination of what is the path of the virus, what are local jurisdictional regulations, and what is our employee availability. I’ll be honest, there is no perfect knowledge of when the right time is or what demand is going to be. By three o’clock on day one of reopening, I already had in my inbox feedback from our stores on what was working, what wasn’t. And some of the tweaks we’re already making.
How does the appointment model work? You’ve likened it to dating.
You can call, go online, or just walk up to a store to set your appointment. The next step is a pre-call about what to expect. We will ask you to wear a mask. When you come to the store, we will have them available. And then you’ll be paired with an associate who will literally be your concierge throughout the store. Everyone walks in a certain direction and it is marked so it’s very easy to keep social distance. Depending on the size of the store—our footprints range from 20,000 to 60,000 square feet—you’re probably talking somewhere between 10 and 24 customers in there at a time.
Now that some of the stores are reopening, is this an opportunity to bring back some of the [51,000] furloughed employees? Or what needs to happen to do that?
At this point, we are not bringing any of them back. Right now. We believe we can run this model with the employees that we have. I don’t know when it will look more like the model of old.
Will we ever get back to just being able to walk in a store and shop around?
Here’s what I don’t think it looks like. It doesn’t look like you use yesterday’s retail playbook to solve today’s problems. Just hypothesizing, it may be you see a lot of demand on the weekend and people are willing to come back in and shop, and you can create enough distance so your employees feel safe. But on the weekdays, it’s appointment-only, and you keep it a much more kind of constrained experience. And you always have curbside. I don’t think the playbook is ever going to look the way it looked before.
It’s one thing to make customers and employees feel safe in the store. What about your corporate employees—will they be working in the office anytime soon?
Best Buy, in our hearts, we had that old-school retail feeling, like, “The stores are going to be open, and everyone’s going to be at work!” And we knew we needed to change but just hadn’t quite had the impetus to do it. And then, literally overnight, all of our people corporately, about 5,000 of them, are working from home. And yet productivity on the whole was incredible.
So it will be a very staged and careful return to work plan. And our team is covering everything from, Are you going to wear masks? Probably, if you’re in shared spaces. Will there be temperature checks when you walk in the building? Probably, if it’s proven to actually reduce the spread of the virus. More people will likely work from home. Flexible work arrangements will be much more regular.