Career as a Supermarket Manager

TODAY'S SUPERMARKETS ARE A FAR CRY from the corner grocery stores that once dotted the American landscape from coast to coast. Supermarkets have evolved into stores that sell everything from frozen foods, fresh meats, fish, dairy products, vegetables, and fruits to packaged goods, pharmaceuticals, potted plants, flowers, balloons, prepared foods, baked goods, greeting cards and magazines, plus essential household supplies like glue, batteries, duct tape, automotive supplies such as motor oil, and even some basic appliances, including heaters, generators, propane tanks, and photographic equipment. This radical change from simply selling food to filling store aisles with almost anything a customer might need has created a wide range of retail management jobs in the supermarket industry. Each new department added to a supermarket requires a manager to run it. That translates into executive jobs, as the supermarket industry keeps expanding to make its stores indispensable, one-stop locations for consumers to find anything and everything they are looking for. New supermarkets are opening up throughout the United States all the time, especially in rural areas, as the population grows in those regions. While many parts of the US economy have gone digital, various aspects of the supermarket business just cannot be automated or are simply more efficient when there is a human being in charge. That includes having a manager on site who decides when and how to restock shelves, when to add cashiers to keep the checkout lines moving, and where to put free-standing displays. Individual managers also determine when particular items, especially perishables and prepared foods, should be marked down, and when to have staff circulating on the floor to respond to customers' questions and concerns. The supermarket industry is very competitive. It is based on people returning to the store and having a positive experience every time they go there. Customer satisfaction is vital to the success of any supermarket, and department and store managers have to make sure customers are happy with how the store is run. Even though most supermarkets today are part of large chains, each store is run differently. Some stores have more staff, are better stocked, are cleaner and brighter, and are more customer-friendly than others. Each store reflects the management style and philosophy of the management team, which should have a good understanding of their customers. For instance, if a supermarket serves a largely Hispanic community, it has to carry a product line that appeals to its ethnic clientele, above and beyond the standard offerings. If it doesn't, another supermarket will open up that does cater to that community and will win over that customer base. It comes down to knowing what your customers like and need. Supermarkets that are part of a national or regional chain have to answer to a corporate office. That creates another level of management in the industry and more jobs at higher salaries in the corporate headquarters. For example, every chain uses district managers from its corporate office to oversee the operation of its stores in a particular region. Other management jobs at the corporate level include marketing managers, who help promote stores and products in the stores, and category managers, who are in charge of store departments, such as dairy and meat, on a chain-wide basis. Supermarket management is a fast-paced field because the industry is always following new trends in retail. That makes a job in supermarket management both demanding and exciting