Comments on: I’m Running Sainsbury’s blogger: Niall Dobson http://blogs.channel4.com/food/2009/06/16/im-running-sainsburys-blogger-niall-dobson/ Many cooks make blogs work. The 4Food blog. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:49:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: kate barton http://blogs.channel4.com/food/2009/06/16/im-running-sainsburys-blogger-niall-dobson/comment-page-1/#comment-1171 kate barton Tue, 18 Aug 2009 13:56:44 +0000 http://blogs.channel4.com/food/?p=627#comment-1171 great program,but it was very hard working with neils ,he was great fun but the customers wernt allways right !!!!!!!!!!!! great program,but it was very hard working with neils ,he was great fun but the customers wernt allways right !!!!!!!!!!!!

]]> By: Thom http://blogs.channel4.com/food/2009/06/16/im-running-sainsburys-blogger-niall-dobson/comment-page-1/#comment-898 Thom Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:25:08 +0000 http://blogs.channel4.com/food/?p=627#comment-898 It appears the company hasn't changed at all since I left in 2005. They have never given any support to stores and I believe this show will be rather damaging to them. It may be free advertising, but at the same time they are showing how little help they give the people on the front line. It's a farce, very much like The Apprentice. "Think you can run a shop? Well, here, have the keys to a flagship and get on with it then. Just don't expect us to show you what to do." Disgraceful. Yes, a lot of retail is thinking on your feet, multi-tasking, learning moral courage (i.e. being able to say "No" to people, even if it makes you Mr Nasty) but these companies have to learn to treat their staff properly. I firmly believe that this is half the reason why all the big names are struggling/going under in these times. All the old-school, looooong serving employees are leaving and retiring leaving the new breed to pick up the pieces with no-one to guide them. It's all about profit and precious little else. Sainsbury's have *always* thrown their staff in at the deep end. I worked for them for over four years, and eventually became a supervisor for dry goods but they never actually trained me on how to do anything, they just expected you to get on with it. It's time people saw what these boys and girls have to put up with from their colleagues, never mind the customers. Retail is one of the hardest jobs out there. Physically, emotionally, mentally.. I could go on! It appears the company hasn’t changed at all since I left in 2005. They have never given any support to stores and I believe this show will be rather damaging to them. It may be free advertising, but at the same time they are showing how little help they give the people on the front line. It’s a farce, very much like The Apprentice. “Think you can run a shop? Well, here, have the keys to a flagship and get on with it then. Just don’t expect us to show you what to do.” Disgraceful. Yes, a lot of retail is thinking on your feet, multi-tasking, learning moral courage (i.e. being able to say “No” to people, even if it makes you Mr Nasty) but these companies have to learn to treat their staff properly. I firmly believe that this is half the reason why all the big names are struggling/going under in these times. All the old-school, looooong serving employees are leaving and retiring leaving the new breed to pick up the pieces with no-one to guide them. It’s all about profit and precious little else. Sainsbury’s have *always* thrown their staff in at the deep end. I worked for them for over four years, and eventually became a supervisor for dry goods but they never actually trained me on how to do anything, they just expected you to get on with it. It’s time people saw what these boys and girls have to put up with from their colleagues, never mind the customers. Retail is one of the hardest jobs out there. Physically, emotionally, mentally.. I could go on!

]]> By: Lisa http://blogs.channel4.com/food/2009/06/16/im-running-sainsburys-blogger-niall-dobson/comment-page-1/#comment-875 Lisa Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:28:19 +0000 http://blogs.channel4.com/food/?p=627#comment-875 I think that the show is entertaining - but Niall didn't really know how to respond to some of the complaints which made him look unprepared and I didn't feel he did anything special, just agreeing mostly. I think that the show is entertaining – but Niall didn’t really know how to respond to some of the complaints which made him look unprepared and I didn’t feel he did anything special, just agreeing mostly.

]]> By: Hannah http://blogs.channel4.com/food/2009/06/16/im-running-sainsburys-blogger-niall-dobson/comment-page-1/#comment-873 Hannah Sun, 21 Jun 2009 22:01:28 +0000 http://blogs.channel4.com/food/?p=627#comment-873 Fantastic show! Really enjoyed every minute. Well done Niall Fantastic show! Really enjoyed every minute. Well done Niall

]]> By: fivestarfrankie http://blogs.channel4.com/food/2009/06/16/im-running-sainsburys-blogger-niall-dobson/comment-page-1/#comment-870 fivestarfrankie Sun, 21 Jun 2009 11:20:35 +0000 http://blogs.channel4.com/food/?p=627#comment-870 Congratulations Niall. As a manager of 30 years experience I would promote you to Area Manager level. if I was Justin King. In fact you would probably be an improvement on the current customer services director.... As a young businessman I thought you towered over the Appentice entrants. Congratulations Niall. As a manager of 30 years experience I would promote you to Area Manager level. if I was Justin King. In fact you would probably be an improvement on the current customer services director…. As a young businessman I thought you towered over the Appentice entrants.

]]> By: Jenny Good http://blogs.channel4.com/food/2009/06/16/im-running-sainsburys-blogger-niall-dobson/comment-page-1/#comment-869 Jenny Good Sun, 21 Jun 2009 10:50:17 +0000 http://blogs.channel4.com/food/?p=627#comment-869 Well done Niall, we could do with you visiting our store at Tollgate Stanway Colchester, we have all the problems and more that were covered in your programme. Did they use a wide angle lens when they filmed in your store, as we certainly don't have wide aisles like that? Ours are usually filled with trolleys and boxes and still a lot of the shelves are empty of basic commodities. Well done Niall, we could do with you visiting our store at Tollgate Stanway Colchester, we have all the problems and more that were covered in your programme. Did they use a wide angle lens when they filmed in your store, as we certainly don’t have wide aisles like that? Ours are usually filled with trolleys and boxes and still a lot of the shelves are empty of basic commodities.

]]> By: Lottie http://blogs.channel4.com/food/2009/06/16/im-running-sainsburys-blogger-niall-dobson/comment-page-1/#comment-856 Lottie Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:57:10 +0000 http://blogs.channel4.com/food/?p=627#comment-856 Niall, I thought your idea was fantastic and with a bit of tweaking could really work. You and the manager Martin really worked well together, the program left me wanting to see more. Make a series I say, come on channel 4. Justin your staff at Finchley Road did you proud. I love Sainsburys ! Niall, I thought your idea was fantastic and with a bit of tweaking could really work. You and the manager Martin really worked well together, the program left me wanting to see more. Make a series I say, come on channel 4. Justin your staff at Finchley Road did you proud. I love Sainsburys !

]]> By: Steve Draper http://blogs.channel4.com/food/2009/06/16/im-running-sainsburys-blogger-niall-dobson/comment-page-1/#comment-848 Steve Draper Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:58:43 +0000 http://blogs.channel4.com/food/?p=627#comment-848 Although I find it a fascinating must-watch programme, I do think that Sainsbury's idea to carry out these experiments is akin to asking a hospital porter to 'have a go at brain surgery'. It will be interesting to see how many of these ideas are sustained - in the main I think it is just a scheme which attracts enthusiastic wannabe's who, as you would expect, have a very short sighted approach to the overall complexity of running such a store. Although I find it a fascinating must-watch programme, I do think that Sainsbury’s idea to carry out these experiments is akin to asking a hospital porter to ‘have a go at brain surgery’. It will be interesting to see how many of these ideas are sustained – in the main I think it is just a scheme which attracts enthusiastic wannabe’s who, as you would expect, have a very short sighted approach to the overall complexity of running such a store.

]]> By: brian wilson http://blogs.channel4.com/food/2009/06/16/im-running-sainsburys-blogger-niall-dobson/comment-page-1/#comment-842 brian wilson Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:30:27 +0000 http://blogs.channel4.com/food/?p=627#comment-842 just watched the recording. The store's management was a shambles and if Niall were to succeed he would need to have the authority of a deputy manager. It was almost unfair sending him to a hostile store management with absolutely no support from Sainsburys' customer service director. just watched the recording. The store’s management was a shambles and if Niall were to succeed he would need to have the authority of a deputy manager.

It was almost unfair sending him to a hostile store management with absolutely no support from Sainsburys’ customer service director.

]]> By: Holly http://blogs.channel4.com/food/2009/06/16/im-running-sainsburys-blogger-niall-dobson/comment-page-1/#comment-841 Holly Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:21:15 +0000 http://blogs.channel4.com/food/?p=627#comment-841 Niall I thought you were fantastic - I wish you would come to my local store in Colchester. I think the idea of a complaints tent once every month is brilliant! p.s. I thought the lady at HQ was totally unsupportive, which is typical of someone who is not working on the shop floor. Hurray for you! Niall
I thought you were fantastic – I wish you would come to my local store in Colchester. I think the idea of a complaints tent once every month is brilliant!
p.s. I thought the lady at HQ was totally unsupportive, which is typical of someone who is not working on the shop floor. Hurray for you!

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