MegaMart's 24-hour opening a success
Published:Friday | January 10, 2014 | 12:00 AM
Keisha Hill, Gleaner Writer
Gassan Azan, chief executive officer of grocery retailer MegaMart, said the store's introduction of 24-hour shopping to some of its stores during the recent Yuletide season was a success.
MegaMart had extended its opening hours at its stores in Kingston and Montego Bay, from 12 to 24 hours daily, to maximise sales during the Christmas holidays.
"It was a big success for us, as the customers responded well. We were able to cover the additional expenses because we got a lot of extra business from it. We decided we wanted to provide convenience for the shoppers," Azan told The Gleaner. MegaMart is the first large retail store to introduce 24-hour shopping.
Azan said management is looking at numbers generated over the period that began on November 22. However, preliminary results, he said, indicated the venture could not be undertaken over a sustained period of time.
"We are looking at offering the options on some weekends or perhaps at the end of some months. We will also look at providing the service throughout the holidays, for example, at Easter," he said.
staff schedule
The MegaMart boss indicated he did not anticipate the volumes generated during the Christmas season and had some difficulty sorting out work schedule for the staff. Customers, he said, expected the same level of service. However, for the most part, most people were satisfied with the service.
"Everybody is on a 40-hour week. Because the number of staff was so limited, we had to have a shift system. Those who worked overtime were compensated," Azan said.