About Walmart
Walmart, Inc. is a retail and wholesale company with approximately 10,500 stores and clubs in 24 countries, as well as eCommerce websites, under 46 banners. The in-store health clinics are a boon to the society, which emerged under the Walmart innovation strategy and changed everything.
Walmart innovation:
In 2006, Alicia Ledlie was a Co-Manager at a Walmart store on Long Island, New York when she attended a conference at Walmart HQ where she heard about the launch of in-store health clinics. Ledlie immediately applied for the job and was appointed as the Director of the health business department.
Despite having no prior expertise in the healthcare field, Ledlie soon flourished in her post. Ledlie became in charge of the in-store initiative, and she managed the opening of 79 in-store health clinics in 12 states within two years. It was Ledlie’s suggestion to add drug testing to the clinic’s list of services for Walmart job applicants. Ledlie knew that all new hires had to have a drug test within 24 hours of receiving a job offer.
“Working in the stores, I’d seen how this requirement created a challenge for recruits who relied on public transportation. Adding this service to the clinics’ roster was a quick win. Store managers raved about the effect it had on helping them keep new recruits.” – Alicia Ledlie..
Results
Walmart’s move into retail health care also included a program that offered 30-day supplies of some generic medications for $4. Consumers saved more than $200 million on prescriptions in the first three months of the program, according to Walmart.
Further, given the size of mega stores, these clinics were not crowded in a corner. Rather, they were accommodated up front near checkout areas and had ample space for examinations and common lab tests. Plus, given Walmart’s merchandise, it became easy for a sick person to pick up additional supplies.
“After a customer visits the clinic for a sore throat, he can shop the rest of the store for a carton of orange juice, an extra blanket, and throat lozenges, saving time and simplifying his life.” – Alicia Ledlie.
The idea of in-health clinics within the store was an amazing move on Walmart’s part. While a lot of organizations that own megastores have their own health and wellness products, having a clinic marks the foray into a new market segment for the organization. There are tons of examples of ideas that changed the fortunes of organizations, by bringing in amazing products, cutting costs, or increasing revenue. The important element common amongst all of these was the availability of a medium to capture employee ideas.
Does your organization have such a medium too? If not, we can help you choose one. This article listing the best idea management software that can help facilitate innovation in your organization should come in handy.
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