Taranaki’s top checkout operators recognised

Media release
11 June 2015

Taranaki’s top checkout operators recognised

Last night, more than 50 checkout operators from Taranaki New World, PAK’nSAVE and Shoprite stores tested their skills onstage at the TSB Showplace in New Plymouth in the hopes of taking out the title of Foodstuffs North Island Checker of the Year.

The checkers were judged by a team of eight senior Foodstuffs staff on their speed, presentation, customer service and accuracy as they scanned 30 items as fast as possible, while also staying friendly and composed.

The top three checkers were Kirsten Cooper from PAK’nSAVE New Plymouth, Malissa Alexander from New World Stratford and Jacinta Frost from New World Stratford.

“Our Checker of the Year competition has being going for over 40 years, and is a fun night for checkers to demonstrate their fantastic customer service skills and engage in a bit of friendly competition with other stores,” says event organiser Kristie McGregor.

“Checker of the Year is a great way to recognise and reward our checkers for the value they add to the customer experience.”

Owner-operator Craig Waite of the family-owned New World Stratford says their store has been competing for years and has seen checkers placed in the top three for the past two years.

“The competition is all about the checkers, but the whole store including the butchers, bakers and deli team get behind it. We’re a tight-knit team and it’s great to have the chance to get together.”

The competitors’ colleagues wore costumes in the “Kiwiana” theme of the night and cheered them on with banners, chants and store mascots. The top twelve checkers each received a $50 gift card, with the top three finalists winning extra prizes. There were also prizes for the best decorated banner, best support team and the best team of checkers overall.

There are 10 regional Checker of the Year competitions across the North Island throughout June and July, with mystery shoppers testing each region’s winner to determine one overall North Island Checker of the Year winner and two runners-up, which will be announced at the Foodstuffs North Island Excellence Awards on 14 November.

ENDS

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