Day 121 - 04 May 95 - Page 03

     
     1        are other ways the stores are checked.  They have what they
     2        call a "mystery diner report".  This is where people
     3        unknown to the store visit and simply buy a meal.  Then
     4        they come back and report on everything they have noticed
     5        in the store; the way they have been served; the speed of
     6        service; the friendliness of the people serving; the
     7        product; the appearance of the stores; the appearance of
     8        the parking lot, if it as drive-through.  The mystery diner
     9        reports on everything.
    10
    11        They do not get that until some time later.  They are told
    12        they have had a mystery diner visit, and this is the result
    13        of the mystery diner visit.  So, all of these visits, they
    14        are all taken together, to assess who is the Store of the
    15        Year, who is the Manager of the Year, who is the Supervisor
    16        of the Year, who is the -- well, the Crew person of the
    17        Year is a is series of competitions.
    18
    19   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  You are only being asked about Store of the
    20        Year at the moment.
    21
    22   MR. MORRIS:  He is getting enthusiastic.  (To the witness):  So,
    23        for someone to achieve Store of the Year, there would have
    24        to be exemplary practices over a substantial period?
    25        A.  Consistently high standards.
    26
    27   Q.   In all departments?
    28        A.  In all departments.
    29
    30   Q.   How is that store that wins Store of the Year perceived for
    31        other stores around the country?  What I mean is that when
    32        a store is Store of the Year, is that used as an example
    33        others should be following; that is something to look up
    34        to, or just nothing, it is just seen as a sort of silly
    35        award that no-one takes any notice of?
    36        A.  No, no, it is not a silly award.  It is an award that
    37        is hard-earned.  I suppose it is an incentive to -- I am
    38        not sure about this; there is obviously some kind of bonus,
    39        some kind of award goes with this, and it is something for
    40        everyone to strive for.
    41
    42   Q.   Right.  If you are Head of Personnel and you visit various
    43        stores, is it possible you might say: "Look at such and
    44        such a store, that is Store of the Year, they did such and
    45        such" as an example to get them to achieve the same?
    46        A.  Yes, it is possible we could do that.  Yes, use it as
    47        an incentive.
    48
    49   Q.   If you can turn to yellow volume X, please?
    50        A.  Yes. 
    51 
    52   Q.   If we go to tab 33, please? 
    53        A.  Yes.
    54
    55   Q.   Do you know Mark Davis?
    56        A.  Probably, I cannot bring him to mind at the present
    57        moment.
    58
    59   Q.   He says that in February 1990 he was promoted to Operations
    60        Manager in the Birmingham area "... and I am now Operations