Mary Dhanji

If you ever shopped Whole Foods, you are immediately aware that Whole Foods is no ordinary grocery store. It is not just a place to shop for groceries but a place of caring. Based out of Austin, Texas, Whole Foods’ basic mission is to sell the highest quality natural and organic product to customers. Their quality and passion for food is second to none but they believe that their customers are the true stakeholders. Without the customer there would be no store. Whole Foods takes this concept to a higher level. It is not just the quality of products but the realization that consumers have many choices. Capturing the consumer and then maintaining them is the essence of true customer satisfaction. They do not take their customers for granted. Customers are the key ingredient to their stores.

It is the employee who is also the focus to Whole Foods. The store clerks are the key point of contact with the customer. Employees are empowered to take part in handling customers’ service satisfaction by working with management and creating new ideas and concepts to achieve the mutual goal of keeping the customer happy every time they go to the store. Each employee is part of a team and if the clerk fails so does the whole team, the whole store and the entire grocery chain. Therefore, as part of the philosophy of Whole Foods, each employee is as important as the consumer and the executive director.

Whole Foods also believes in giving back and donates at least 5% of their sales every year to various charities throughout United States. Because their philosophy is that a business is part of the communities and part of the customers’ lives, they generously give to community charities. As part of the South Florida community, Whole Foods has a wine week where percentage of sales is donated to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. During diabetes awareness month, Whole Foods sells shoes for $1, $5 and $10 to customers and the funds are donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Do you shop stores that give back to your community?

Photograph Credit:
Sabrina Segal