编辑导语：战略的重点不仅仅是愿景，战略更重要的是如何制定战略落地的原则、政策和资源。
1955年，当美国著名财经杂志《财富》首次推出“全球500强”排行榜时，它尚在孕育之中。历经数十年的风雨历程，却使它在2002年、2003年、2004年连续荣登《财富》“全球500强”之首。它就是铸就“环球商业神话”的美国沃尔玛零售连锁集团。
沃尔玛的辉煌成就令人很难置信它从无到有，直至独霸一方的发展历程仅有短短数十年。1940年，沃尔玛公司的创始人山姆·沃顿（Sam Walton）获密苏里大学经济学学士学位；二战期间，沃尔顿服役于陆军情报团。1950年山姆·沃顿在美国阿肯色州本顿威尔镇，开办了店名“5－10美分”的廉价商店，只是当地一家名不见经传的小企业。1962年，沃尔玛公司开办了第一家连锁商店，1970年建立起第一家配送中心，走上了快速发展之路。1983年，第一家山姆俱乐部建立。1988年，第一家沃尔玛超级购物中心（Supercenter）开设。1991年，沃尔玛年销售额突破400亿美元，成为全球大型零售企业之一。据1994年5月美国《幸福》杂志公布的全美服务行业分类排行榜，沃尔玛1993年销售额高达673.4亿美元，比上一年增长118亿多，超过了1992年排名第一位的西尔斯(Sears)，雄居全美零售业榜首。1995年沃尔玛销售额持续增长，并创造了零售业的一项世界纪录，实现年销售额936亿美元，在《财富》杂志95美国最大企业排行榜上名列第四。事实上，沃尔玛的年销售额相当于全美所有百货公司的总和，而且至今仍保持着强劲的发展势头。
截至2001年4月15日，该公司在国内外共有4249家连锁店，分为折扣商店、购物广场、山姆会员店、家居商店四种形式，全部由该公司控股，实行直营连锁。遍布美国、墨西哥、加拿大、波多黎各、巴西、阿根廷、南非、中国、印尼等处。它在短短几十年中有如此迅猛的发展，不得不说是零售业的一个奇迹。让我们看一下沃尔玛是怎样打造这一奇迹的。
一、以顾客为导向
沃尔玛坚信，“顾客第一”是其成功的精髓。1985年被美国《福布斯》杂志列为首富，1992年美总统自由勋章获得者，沃尔玛庞大事业的缔造者山姆·沃尔顿这样说过：“我们的老板只有一个，那就是我们的顾客。是他付给我们每月的薪水，只有他有权解雇上至董事长的每一个人。道理很简单，只要他改变一下购物习惯，换到别家商店买东西就是了。”沃尔玛的营业场所总是醒目地写着其经营信条：“第一条：顾客永远是对的；第二条：如有疑问，请参照第一条。”
沃尔玛这种服务顾客的观念并非只停留在标记和口号上，而且深入到经营服务行动。沃尔玛店铺内的通道、灯光设计都为了令顾客更加舒适；店门口的欢迎者较其他同行更主动热情；收银员一律站立工作以示对顾客的尊敬；当任何一位顾客距营业员３米的时候，营业员都必须面向顾客，面露微笑，主动打招呼，并问“有什么需要我效劳的吗？”沃尔玛力图让顾客在每一家连锁店都感到“这是他们的商店”，都会得到“殷勤、诚恳的接待”，以确保“不打折扣地满足顾客需要”。正是这事事以顾客为先的点点滴滴为沃尔玛赢得了顾客的好感和信赖。
二、天天低价
沃尔玛一直特别注重价格竞争，长期奉行薄利多销的经营方针。沃尔顿的名言是：“一件商品，成本8毛，如果标价1元，可是销售数量却是1.2元时的3倍，我在一件商品上所赚不多，但卖多了，我就有利可图”。所以，沃尔玛提出了一个响亮的口号：“销售的商品总是最低的价格”。在同类商品中，沃尔玛的价格要比最大的竞争对手之一凯马特的价格低5%。然而，维持长期低价并不是一件轻而易举的事，沃尔玛之所以能长期保持价格优势还得益于其有效的成本控制。
1、争取低廉进价。沃尔玛避开了一切中间环节直接从工厂进货，其雄厚的经济实力使之具有强大的议价能力。更重要的是，沃尔玛并不因自身规模大、实力强而以肆意损害供应商来增加自身利润，而是重视与供应商建立友好融洽的协作关系，保护供应商的利益。沃尔玛给予供应商的优惠远超同行。美国第三大零售商凯马特对供应的商品平均45天付款，而沃尔玛仅为平均29天付款，大大激发了供应商与沃尔玛建立业务的积极性，从而保证了沃玛商品的最优进价。
2、完善的物流管理系统。沃尔玛被称为零售配送革命的领袖。其独特的配送体系，大大降低了成本，加速了存货周转，成为“天天低价”的最有力的支持。沃尔玛的补充存货的方法被称为“交叉装卸法”。这套“不停留送货”的供货系统共包括三部分：
高效率的配送中心。沃尔玛的供应商根据各分店的订单将货品送至沃尔玛的配送中心，配送中心则负责完成对商品的筛选，包装和分检工作。沃尔玛的配送中心具有高度现代化的机械设施，送至此处的商品85％都采用机械处理，这就大大减少了人工处理商品的费用。同时，由于购进商品数量庞大，使自动化机械设备得以充分利用，规模优势充分显示。
迅速的运输系统。沃尔玛的机动运输车队是其供货系统的另一无可比拟的优势。至1996年，沃尔玛已拥有30个配送中心，2000多辆运货卡车，保证进货从仓库到任何一家商店的时间不超过48小时，相对于其他同业商店平均两周补货一次，沃尔玛可保证分店货架平均一周补两次。快速的送货，使沃尔玛各分店即使只维持极少存货也能保持正常销售，从而大大节省了存贮空间和费用。由于这套快捷运输系统的有效运作，沃尔玛85％的商品通过自己的配送中心运输，而凯马特只有5％，其结果是沃尔玛的销售成本因此低于同行业平均销售成本2－3％，成为沃尔玛全年低价策略的坚实基石。
先进的卫星通讯网络。巨资建立的卫星通讯网络系统使沃尔玛的供货系统更趋完美。这套系统的应用，使配送中心，供应商及每一分店的每一销售点都能形成连线作业，在短短数小时内便可完成“填妥订单→各分店订单汇总→送出订单”的整个流程，大大提高了营业的高效性和准确性。
3、营销成本的有效控制。沃尔玛对营销成本的控制非常严格。沃尔玛的广告开支仅相当于美国第二大连锁店西尔斯的三分之一，每平方英尺销售额比美国第三大连锁店凯马特高一倍。沃尔玛的营销成本仅占销售额的1.5％，商品损耗率仅为1.1％，而一般美国零售商店这两项指标的平均值分别高达5％和2％。这些都使得沃尔玛实施低价策略的实力进一步加强。
三、“一站式”购物新理念
在沃尔玛，消费者可以体验“一站式”购物(One—Stop Shopping)的新概念。在商品结构上，它力求富有变化和特色，以满足顾客的各种喜好。其经营项目繁多，包括食品、玩具、新款服装、化妆用品、家用电器、日用百货、肉类果菜等等。
另外，沃尔玛为方便顾客还设置了多项特殊的服务类型：
- 免费停车。例如深圳的山姆店营业面积12000多平方米，有近400个免费停车位，而另一家营业面积达17800多平方米的沃尔玛购物广场也设有约150个停车位。
- 沃尔玛将糕点房搬进了商场，更设有“山姆休闲廊”，所有的风味美食、新鲜糕点都给顾客在购物劳顿之余以休闲的享受。
- 店内聘有专业人士为顾客免费咨询电脑、照相机、录像机及其相关用品的有关情况，有助于减少盲目购买带来的风险。
- 店内设有阑克施乐文件处理商务中心，可为顾客提供包括彩色文件制作、复印，工程图纸放大缩小，高速文印在内的多项服务。
- 一次购物满2000元或以上，沃尔玛皆可提供送货服务，在指定范围内每次49元(因为商品价格中不含送货成本)。
另外，深圳山姆店办理一切移动电脑售机业务，移动局销售的所有机型。价格均比其他代办网点便宜100元；它还代理销售润讯的通讯产品，代收各类机型的台费，各种中文机、数字机均比市面其他润讯网点便宜50元。
在店址选择上，沃尔玛也以方便顾客购物为首要考虑因素。在美国，它的触角伸向西尔斯、凯马特所不屑一顾的偏远小乡镇。从明尼苏达到密西西比，从南加州到奥克拉荷马，沃尔玛无所不在。只要哪座乡镇缺乏廉价商店，沃尔玛就在哪里开业。
四、激励员工
员工利益与沃尔玛紧紧相联。除了让工资奖金与员工自身的工作业绩挂钩外，沃尔玛还实行职工入股、利润分享等制度。沃尔玛的员工为合伙人，坚持让员工从公司的成长中获得好处。沃尔玛的最大股东是员工分红信托基金组织。1977年，该基金只有440万美元，到1983年已达9850万美元，随着沃尔玛的成长，该基金也不断增加。1982年，沃尔玛发给每一位员工的红利，相当于其年薪的5.6％。此外，沃尔玛的员工可以利用扣薪的方式购买公司股票，公司补助15％的价款。沃尔玛股票从80年代起成为纽约证券交易所的明星，从1977年到1987年，股票价格上涨了20倍，1992年，沃尔玛公司董事会宣布自1971年以来的第10次一分为二的股票拆细，20年的股票回报高达近4000倍。参加股票购买方案的员工都得到了丰厚的回报。正因为沃尔玛与员工利益紧密相联，沃尔玛的每个基层店，都挂有这样的标记牌：“今天我们公司的股票价格，就靠我们的工作。”
员工强烈的归属感和自豪感。沃尔玛的员工不是被称为“雇员（EMPLOYEE）”，而是被称为“合作者（PARTNER）”或“同事（ASSOLIATE）。”从总裁到营业员的每一员工左胸前都佩戴着工作牌，除姓名外更醒目地印着“我们的员工与众不同。”为提高员工士气，沃尔玛还设有一连串奖励办法，如地区明星奖，特殊区域明星荣誉榜、销售竞赛奖、百货销售荣誉、控制损失奖等。得奖人的姓名和照片都刊登在公司刊物《Wal－Mart世界》上。
充足的职工培训。沃尔玛雇佣当地人，给予训练，并鼓励他们提出问题。公司非常重视对职工的培养和教育，在总部和各级商店开设各类培训班，利用晚间上课；并设有沃尔顿零售学校、萨姆营运学院等培训组织，专门培养高级管理人员。沃尔玛还非常注重提高分店经理的业务能力，并且在做法上别具一格。沃尔玛的最高管理层不是直接指导每家分店负责人该怎样做生意，而是要创造一种环境，让分店经理们从市场、从其他分店学习这门功课。例如，沃尔玛的先进情报资讯系统，为分店经理提供了有关顾客行为的详细资料。此外，沃尔玛还投资购置了专机，定期载送各分店经理飞往公司总部，参观有关市场趋势及商品采购的研讨会。后随公司规模的持续扩大又装置了卫星通讯系统，公司总部经常召开电话会议，分店经理无须跨出店门便能和其他分店彼此交换市场信息。沃尔玛正是通过其独特的培训方法，长此以往，迅速提高其员工的能力和业务水平。
翻译：
The focus of strategy is not only the vision, the strategy is more important is how to formulate the principles, policies and resources for the implementation of the strategy.
In 1955, when the famous American financial magazine “Fortune” first launched the “Global 500” list, it was still in gestation. After decades of wind and rain, it has been ranked first in the “Fortune Global 500” in 2002, 2003 and 2004. It is the American Wal-Mart retail chain group that has created the “global business myth”.
It’s hard to believe what Walmart has done — it went from nothing to dominance in just a few decades.
In 1940, Sam Walton, the founder of Walmart, received a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Missouri. During World War II, Walton served in the Army Intelligence Corps. In 1950, Sam Wharton opened a cheap store named “5-10 cents” in Bentonville, Arkansas, but a local small business was unknown. Wal-mart opened its first chain of stores in 1962 and its first distribution center in 1970, embarking on a path of rapid growth. In 1983, the first Sam’s Club was established. In 1988, the first Walmart Supercenter opened. In 1991,
Walmart’s annual sales exceeded $40 billion, making it one of the largest retail companies in the world. According to the national service industry classification list published by the American “Happiness” magazine in May 1994, Walmart’s sales in 1993 reached 67.34 billion US dollars, an increase of 11.8 billion more than the previous year, surpassing Sears, which ranked first in 1992, and ranking first in the national retail industry. In 1995, Walmart’s sales continued to grow and set a world record in the retail industry, achieving annual sales of $93.6 billion and ranking fourth on Fortune magazine’s 95 Largest Companies in the United States. In fact, Walmart’s annual sales are equal to all department stores in the United States combined, and it continues to grow strongly today.
As of April 15, 2001
As of April 15, 2001, the company had a total of 4,249 chain stores at home and abroad, divided into discount stores, shopping plazas, Sam’s Club stores, home stores in four forms, all controlled by the company, the implementation of direct chain. All over the United States, Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, China, Indonesia and other places. It has developed so rapidly in just a few decades that it has to be said that it is a retail miracle. Let’s take a look at how Walmart built this miracle.
First, customer-oriented
Walmart believes that “customer first” is the essence of its success. Sam Walton, who was listed as the richest man by Forbes magazine in 1985 and the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1992, said: “We have only one boss, and that is our customers.” He’s the one who pays our monthly salaries, and he alone has the power to fire everyone up to the chairman. It’s as simple as changing his shopping habits and going to another store.” Walmart’s business motto is always prominently displayed on its premises: “Number one: The customer is always right; Rule 2: If in doubt, refer to Rule 1.”
Walmart’s concept of serving customers is not only limited to signs and slogans, but also extends to service operations. The aisles and lighting in Walmart stores are designed to make customers more comfortable; The greeters at the door of the store are more active and enthusiastic than other peers; Cashiers must stand to work to show respect to customers; When any customer is 3 meters away from the salesperson, the salesperson must face the customer, smile, say hello, and ask, “How can I help you?” Walmart strives to make customers feel that “it’s their store” at each of its stores and that they will be “warmly and sincerely received” to ensure that “customer needs are met without discount.” It is this customer-first bit by bit that Walmart has won the goodwill and trust of customers.
Low prices every day
Walmart has always paid special attention to price competition, and has long pursued the management policy of small profits and quick sales. Walton famously said, “An item costs 80 cents, if the price is $1, but the quantity sold is three times that of $1.2, I don’t make much money on an item, but I sell more, I make a profit.” Therefore, Walmart has come up with a resounding slogan: “The goods sold are always the lowest price.” In the same category, Walmart’s prices are 5% lower than those of Kmart, one of its biggest competitors. However, maintaining long-term low prices is not an easy task, and the reason why Wal-Mart can maintain long-term price advantages is also due to its effective cost control.
1, Strive for low purchase price.
Walmart avoids all the middlemen and buys directly from factories, and its economic strength gives it strong bargaining power. More importantly, Wal-Mart does not wantonly damage suppliers to increase its own profits because of its large scale and strong strength, but attaches importance to establishing friendly and harmonious cooperation with suppliers and protecting the interests of suppliers. Wal-mart gives its suppliers far more benefits than its peers. Kmart, the third largest retailer in the United States, pays for goods supplied in an average of 45 days. While Walmart pays for goods in an average of 29 days, which greatly stimulates the enthusiasm of suppliers to establish business with Walmart, thus guaranteeing the best price for Walmart goods.
2, perfect logistics management system.
Walmart has been called the leader of the retail distribution revolution. Its unique distribution system greatly reduces costs, accelerates inventory turnover. And becomes the most powerful support for “every day low price”. Walmart’s method of replenishing inventory is called “cross-loading.” This “no stop delivery” delivery system consists of three parts:
Efficient distribution center. Walmart’s suppliers deliver the goods to Walmart’s distribution centers based on orders from each store. And the distribution centers are responsible for the screening, packaging and sorting of the goods. Walmart’s distribution centers have highly modern mechanical facilities, and 85% of the goods sent here are processed by machinery. Which greatly reduces the cost of manual handling of goods. At the same time, due to the large number of purchased goods, automated machinery and equipment can be fully utilized, and the scale advantage is fully displayed.
A speedy transportation system.
Walmart’s motorized transportation fleet is another unmatched advantage of its delivery system. By 1996, Walmart had 30 distribution centers, more than 2,000 delivery trucks, guaranteed that the time from the warehouse to any store was no more than 48 hours, and that the store shelves were restocked twice a week on average, compared with the average once every two weeks of other stores. Fast delivery allows Wal-Mart stores to maintain normal sales even if they only maintain very little inventory, which greatly saves storage space and costs. Due to the efficient operation of this fast transportation system, 85% of Walmart’s goods are transported through its own distribution centers, while only 5% of Kmart’s. The result is that Walmart’s cost of goods sold is thus 2-3% lower than the industry average cost of goods sold, which becomes a solid cornerstone of Walmart’s year-round low price strategy.
Advanced satellite communication network. The satellite communication network system built with huge sums of money makes Walmart’s supply system more perfect. The application of this system enables the distribution center, suppliers and every point of sale of each branch to form a connection operation, and the entire process of “filling in the order → the order summary of each branch → sending the order” can be completed in just a few hours, greatly improving the efficiency and accuracy of the business.
3, Effective control of marketing costs.
Wal-mart keeps a tight rein on marketing costs. Walmart spends only a third as much on advertising as Sears, America’s second-biggest chain. And sells twice as much per square foot as Kmart, America’s third-largest. Wal-mart’s marketing costs are only 1.5 percent of sales, and merchandise loss is only 1.1 percent, compared with an average of 5 percent and 2 percent, respectively, for the average U.S. retail store. All of these make Walmart implement low price strategy strength further strengthened.
Third, the new concept of “one-stop” shopping
At Walmart, consumers can experience the new concept of “one-stop” Shopping. In the commodity structure, it strives to be rich in changes and characteristics to meet the various preferences of customers. It operates a wide range of items, including food, toys, new clothing, cosmetics, household appliances, daily necessities, meat fruits and vegetables, and so on.
In addition, Walmart has set up a number of special service types for the convenience of customers:
1. Free parking. For example, Sam’s store in Shenzhen has a business area of more than 12,000 square meters and nearly 400 free parking Spaces, while another Walmart shopping plaza with a business area of more than 17,800 square meters also has about 150 parking Spaces.
2. Walmart has moved the pastry room into the shopping mall, and has a “Sam’s leisure gallery”, all the flavor of food and fresh pastries give customers leisure enjoyment after shopping.
3. The store employs professionals to consult customers free of charge about computers, cameras, video recorders and related supplies, which helps to reduce the risk of blind buying.
4. The Langk Xerox Document Processing Business Center is located in the store, which can provide customers with a variety of services including color document production, photocopying, engineering drawings zooming in and out, and high-speed printing.
5. Wal-mart offers delivery for purchases of $2,000 or more, up to $49 per purchase (because delivery costs are not included in the price of the item).
In addition, Shenzhen Sam store handles all mobile computer sales business, all models sold by the mobile bureau. The price is 100 yuan cheaper than other agency outlets; It also agents the sale of Runxun communication products, collect all types of machine fees. A variety of Chinese machines, digital machines are cheaper than other Runxun outlets on the market 50 yuan.
In the choice of store location, Walmart also takes the convenience of customers shopping as the primary consideration. In the United States, it has reached out to remote towns that Sears and Kmart have scorned. From Minnesota to Mississippi, from Southern California to Oklahoma, Walmart is everywhere. Wherever there was a shortage of cheap stores, Wal-Mart opened.
Motivate employees
Employee interests are closely linked to Walmart. In addition to linking wages and bonuses with employees’ own work performance. Walmart also implements employee shares, profit sharing and other systems. Walmart employees are partners and insist that employees benefit from the growth of the company. Walmart’s largest shareholder is the Employee Dividend Trust. In 1977, the fund had only $4.4 million; by 1983. It had reached $98.5 million, and as Walmart grew, so did the fund. In 1982, Walmart paid every employee a bonus equal to 5.6 percent of their annual salary.
In addition, Walmart employees can use their pay deduction to buy company stock. And the company subsidize 15% of the price. From 1977 to 1987, the stock price rose 20 times. In 1992, the board of directors of Walmart announced the 10th stock split in two since 1971. The stock return in 20 years was as high as nearly 4000 times. Employees who participated in the stock purchase program were rewarded handsomely. Because Walmart is closely linked to the interests of its employees. Every Walmart store has a sign that reads: “Today our company’s stock price depends on our work.”
A strong sense of belonging and pride among employees. Instead of being called “employees,” Walmart employees are called “partners” or “ASSOLIATE.” Every employee, from the president to the salespeople, wore a work badge on their left chest, emblazoned with the words “Our people are different.” In order to improve employee morale, Walmart also has a series of incentives. Such as regional star awards, special regional star Honor Roll, sales competition awards, department store sales honors, loss control awards. The names and photos of the winners were published in the company’s publication, Wal-Mart World.
Adequate staff training. Walmart hires locals, trains them and encourages them to ask questions.
The company attaches great importance to the training and education of employees. In the headquarters and stores at all levels to set up a variety of training courses, the use of evening classes. And has Walton retail School, Sam Operations Academy and other training organizations, specializing in training senior managers. Walmart also puts a lot of emphasis on improving the business capabilities of store managers, and is unique in its approach. Instead of directly instructing each store leader on how to do business, Walmart’s top management created an environment in which store managers learned this lesson from the market and from other stores.
Walmart’s Advanced Intelligence Information System, for example, provides store managers with detailed information about customer behavior. In addition, Walmart has invested in special planes that regularly fly store managers to the company’s headquarters for seminars on market trends and merchandise purchases. With the continuous expansion of the company and the installation of satellite communication system. The company headquarters often held teleconference, branch managers can exchange market information with other branches without stepping out of the store. It is through its unique training methods that Walmart has rapidly improved its employees’ ability and business level over the long term.
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