Walmart (Bentonville, Ark.) announced that it is going to reintroduce door greeters at the majority of its U.S. stores as a way to increase customer service as well as curb theft. The greeters should be in place by mid-summer.
Greeters were a tradition that the retailer’s founder, Sam Walton, started. The retailer discontinued the use of store greeters four years ago and dispatched those workers to other areas of the store.
However, following a successful pilot program, it is returning to its roots as a way to provide customers with “an excellent first impression,” said Mark Ibbotson, executive vp of central operations for Walmart’s U.S. division, according to the AP. “Focusing more on our greeters is one of a whole host of details we’re looking at — it just happens to be a very visible one.”