搜索
CultureMr.Sam’svaluesWe’reknownaroundtheworldasthecompanythathelpsourcustomerssavemoneysotheycanlivebetter.We’realsowellknownforouruniquecorporateculture.SamWaltonbuiltourbusinessonvaluesandmorals.Thoserulesandcustomshavehelpedusbecomeoneoftheworld’smostadmiredcompanies.RespectAtthecoreofeveryoneofourrulesandcustomsisthebasicvalueofrespect–forthecustomer,associates,andsuppliers.It’sourfocusforbuildingrelationships.Ithelpsusservethecommunitiesinwhichwelive,andbuildabusinesscommittedtoexcellence.OpenDoorThedoorisalwaysopen.AtWalmart,ourmanagementbelievesopencommunicationiscriticaltounderstandingandmeetingourassociates’andourcustomers’needs.Throughour―opendoor‖policy,associates(employees)arefreetosharesuggestions,ideasandvoiceconcerns,whetherit’shelpwithaproblem,guidanceordirection,orsimplygettingananswertoaquestion.Associatescantrustandrelyontheopendoor.Thismeansthatmanagerswilltreatalldiscussionsfairly,withanopenmindandwithoutbias.They’llmaintaincompleteconfidentially,wheneverit’spossible.They’llworkwithyoutomutuallyresolveanyissuesorproblemsyoumayhave.It’soneofthemostimportantpartsofourculture.We’reallpartofthesamefamily—theWalmartfamily.Andlikefamily,wecare.Theopendoorhashelpedsolvesomeofourbiggestproblems,andit'sgeneratedsomeofourgreatestideas.SundownRuleOurfounderSamWaltoncreatedtheSundownRule.It’sreallyjustatwiston―whyputoffuntiltomorrowwhatyoucandotoday?‖ObservingtheSundownRuleisverysimple.Whetherit'sarequestfromastoreacrossthecountryoracallfromanassociatedownthehall,wedoourverybesttogiveourcustomers,andeachother,same-dayservice.WetaketheSundownRuleseriously.It’soneofthemanywaysweprovidesuperiorcustomerservice.Whenweshowasenseofurgency,weshowpeopleweknowtheirtimeisvaluable.Wecareabouttheirneeds,andwewanttohelpthemquickly.WhenweobservetheSundownRulewithotherassociates(employees),itshowswerespecteachother.Andwe’reproudtobepartofateamworkingtogethertogetthingsdone.TheSundownRuleinaction:Jeff,apharmacistataWalmartstoreinHarrison,Arkansas,gotacallathomeoneSundaymorning.Helearnedoneofhisdiabeticcustomershadaccidentallydroppedherinsulindownhergarbagedisposal.Knowingthatshecouldbeingravedangerwithoutinsulin,Jeffimmediatelyrushedtothestore,openedthepharmacy,andfilledherprescription.ThisisjustoneofthemanywaysourassociateshonortheSundownRuleeveryday.GrassRootsProcess―Listentoyourassociates.They’rethebestideagenerators.‖SamWaltonsaidthat,andhebelievedit.Foryears,hetraveledcontinuouslysohecouldvisitallofhisstoresatleastonceayear,listeningtoassociatesandaskingfortheirideas.We’restilllistening.Thesheersizeofourcompanylimitshowmanystoresexecutivescanphysicallyvisiteachyear.ButSam’sphilosophylivesontodayinourGrassRootsProcess.Akeypartofthatprocessistheassociateopinionsurvey—itgiveseverysingleassociateawaytovoicetheirideas,suggestionsandconcerns.Ourassociates—makingadifference.Usingthesurvey,wecontinuallyfindwaystoimproveourcustomerserviceandhowtobetterserveourassociates.Wecontinuetolearnhowtobeamoreefficient,moreenvironmentallyfriendlycompany.UsingtheGrassRootsProcessandthesurvey,ourassociateshavemadeWalmartoneofthemostadmiredcompaniesinAmerica.Andit’sourassociateswhowillcontinuetoleadWalmartintothefuture.3BasicBeliefs&ValuesThreesimplethingsthatmakeusgreat:OuruniqueculturehashelpedmakeWalmartoneoftheworld’smostadmiredcompanies.SinceSamWaltonopenedthefirstWalmartin1962,ourculturehasrestedonthreebasicbeliefs.Weliveoutthesebeliefseverydayinthewayweserveourcustomersandeachother.1.RespectfortheIndividualWe’rehardworking,ordinarypeoplewho’veteameduptoaccomplishextraordinarythings.Whileourbackgroundsandpersonalbeliefsareverydifferent,wenevertakeeachotherforgranted.Weencouragethosearoundustoexpresstheirthoughtsandideas.Wetreateachotherwithdignity.Thisisthemostbasicwayweshowrespect.2.ServicetoourCustomersOurcustomersarethereasonwe’reinbusiness,soweshouldtreatthemthatway.Weofferqualitymerchandiseatthelowestprices,andwedoitwiththebestcustomerservicepossible.Welookforeveryopportunitywherewecanexceedourcustomers’expectations.That’swhenwe’reatourverybest.3.StrivingforExcellenceWe’reproudofouraccomplishmentsbutneversatisfied.Weconstantlyreachfurthertobringnewideasandgoalstolife.WemodelourselvesafterSamWalton,whowasneversatisfieduntilpriceswereaslowastheycouldbeorthataproduct’squalitywasashighascustomersdeservedandexpected.Wealwaysask:IsthisthebestIcando?Thisdemonstratesthepassionwehaveforourbusiness,forourcustomersandforourcommunities.10-FootRuleThe10-footRuleisoneofoursecretstocustomerservice.Duringhismanystorevisits,SamWaltonencouragedassociatestotakethispledgewithhim:IpromisethatwheneverIcomewithin10feetofacustomer,Iwilllookhimintheeye,greethim,andaskifIcanhelphim.The10-footRulewassomethingSampracticedhisentirelife.Ilearnedearlyonthatoneofthesecretstocampusleadershipwasthesimplestthingofall:Speaktopeoplecomingdownthesidewalkbeforetheyspeaktoyou,‖Samoncesaid.―Iwouldalwayslookaheadandspeaktothepersoncomingtowardme.IfIknewthem,Iwouldcallthembyname,butevenifIdidn't,Iwouldstillspeaktothem.Beforelong,Iprobablyknewmorestudentsthananybod