Walgreen World

WORLD
FOR NEW EMPLOYEES
2006 Special Edition
CAreer
GrowtH
employees Share
their Secrets
the Scoop on
Benefits
Dust off your crystal ball
Did our executives’ first day at Walgreens foretell their future success?
Dave Bernauer
Current job: Chairman
Starting stats: Pharmacy intern, 1966
“I was a little apprehensive that first morning, as I’d just arrived in Appleton, Wis., the night before. Since
I knew no one in town, save the motel clerk, I was anxious about how I’d get along with the people in the
store and what the job would be like.
“Tom Goodrich, the store manager, quickly put me at ease. He welcomed me cheerfully, asked if I’d
found a place to stay and gave me some pointers on where to look for an apartment. Next, he took me to
each employee and made a point of telling me something about their strengths. Then, we sat down and he
told me a little about what I’d be doing and a lot about what was important to him, starting with customer
service. By the end of the day, I was so enthusiastic about working with Tom Goodrich and his great people
that all apprehension was gone. I was convinced I’d made a good choice in Walgreens!”
Jeff Rein
Current job: CEO and president
Starting stats: Assistant manager, 1982
“My first Walgreen store manager was John Dempsey and he gave me a first-day tour I’ll never forget. Of
course, he hit the basics – the different departments, office, breakroom, restrooms – but as he introduced
me to different people, he told me a little bit about each person’s role.
“Any job is overwhelming at first because you’re not sure exactly what you do, let alone what everyone
else does, but John Dempsey’s overview gave me an idea of who would be the best person to turn to for
different questions. For example, I knew who to talk to if I had questions about inventory and who was
the cosmetics expert. That experience stuck with me, and I always tried to do the same for my employees.”
Mark Wagner
Current job: Executive vice president of Store Operations
Starting stats: Service clerk, 1977
“Three things stand out from my first day. First, I watched training tapes on the wall of the
stockroom from a movie projector. Second, I built a Kleenex display, though I priced all
the items wrong and put them on the wrong endstand. Third, I cleaned up the plant
department and watered the plants – though I dropped a couple in the process
and had dirt all over the floor by the time I was done.
“Looking back, I’m surprised they kept me!”
Greg Wasson
Current job: Executive vice president for Walgreen Co. and president of
Walgreens Health Services
Starting stats: Pharmacy intern, 1980
“I come from Indiana where basketball is king. On my first day as an
intern, I was working with Bill Hatfield, a pharmacist and fellow Purdue
University grad. He spent a lot of time asking me how good my jump shot
was. It set the tone for a friendly relationship right off the bat and made
me respect Bill from my first day. I enjoyed the entire summer and
am here 25 years later in large part because of him.”
2
Este artículos está disponible en Español en “StoreNet.”
Kent Meireis
An upbeat attitude is what you need at Walgreens. And
the Broomfield, Colo., staff shows they have it. From
left to right are store manager Greg Clinebell, pharmacy
manager Jason Gruszynski, senior beauty advisor Sharon
Lofgren, head photo specialist Petric Kerley, SIMS coordinator Cynthia Searle and service clerk Annabelle Avila.
You gotta have
H E A R T
Honesty
Earn your pay
Attitude
Respect others
Time to work
We believe that honest
goods can be sold to honest
people by honest methods.
We believe in working,
not waiting.
We believe that we can get
what we go after and that we
are not down and out until we
have lost faith in ourselves.
We believe in courtesy,
in kindness, in generosity,
in cheer, in friendship.
We believe in today and
the work we are doing, in
tomorrow and the work we
hope to do, and in the sure
reward the future holds.
Honesty and high ethical
standards are priority No. 1
at Walgreens. Our Four Way
Test will help you determine
the best course of action in
tough situations. It asks:
• Is it the truth?
• Is it fair to all concerned?
• Will it build goodwill and
better friendship?
• Will it be beneficial to all
concerned?
“Part of being honest is owning
up to mistakes,” says Dale
Lane, Portland North district
manager. “It’s easy to blame
others, but harder to blame
yourself. Both customers and
co-workers, though, will value
a sincere apology.”
A good work ethic means
doing what you’re asked to
do and finding creative ways
to do things better. “My photo
specialist, Danny Olsen, has
been with Walgreens for less
than a year, but has already
increased our digital business
substantially,” says Darren
Jepperson, store manager at
7794 Redwood Road in West
Jordan, Utah. “He wants to
learn everything he can about
our photofinishing services.
Then he uses that knowledge
to give our customers the
best service – and the best
pictures – in town.”
If you have a positive attitude,
set goals and deliver superb
customer service, you’ll go a
long way. “My store manager,
Mr. Clinebell, is upbeat and
positive and that makes all of
us want to do well,” says Petric
Kerley, head photo specialist at
1590 W. 120th Ave. in Broomfield, Colo. “He also picks up
the ball if it has been dropped
and doesn’t complain. This
attitude keeps me – and the
other employees in our store –
always trying to mirror his
excellent example.”
It’s the age-old premise –
if you respect your boss,
co-workers and customers,
they’ll respect you. “We
treat each other like family
at our store,” says Robert
Torres, store manager at
13000 Indian School Road
N.E. in Albuquerque, N.M.
“We talk about what we did
over the weekend as well as
help each other get the job
done. We also keep the store
clean, stocked and organized
because that’s the least we
can do to show that we
respect our customers.”
Our founder, Charles R. Walgreen, knew what attributes equal career
growth and penned them in his Walgreen Creed, quoted in blue above.
For success at Walgreens today, the rules remain the same.
With all the reports and data
passed down to the stores,
it’s easy to become inundated
with information. But it all
comes down to one thing –
serving the customer. “You
might need to step away from
your reset to do a refund or
drop everything to escort a
shopper to the item she can’t
find,” says Mark Wagner,
executive vice president of
Store Operations. “And that’s
OK. Keeping our customers
happy is the only thing that
will ultimately keep our cash
registers ringing.”
– Liz Muhler
3
Opportunity
Portraits of
Service clerk
A
pharmacy technician
Lisa Colón
Pharmacy manager
2180 W. Grant Road
Tucson, Ariz.
Years of service: 11
s a high school student, Lisa Colón needed to earn
some money. So she joined Walgreens as a parttime service clerk in 1995. On the job, she set her
sights on the pharmacy because of her interest in science.
“Early on, I appreciated the opportunities at Walgreens,”
says Colón. “I knew if I worked hard and improved my
skills, there’d be many options. But first, I needed to communicate my goals to my manager.”
Colón had many Walgreen mentors support her
along the way, including the years she attended pharmacy school. And her experiences both as a tech and
as a pharmacy intern have been invaluable.
MGT
Stephen Johnson
Baltimore North
district manager
Years of service: 14
“
Stock clerk
George Fong
Store manager
3000 S. Halsted St.
Chicago
Years of service: 23
4
S
store manager
tability attracted me to Walgreens,” says Stephen
Johnson, who started his career at another retailer.
“I knew the company would provide opportunities
for me if I worked hard and proved myself.”
He did just that after he joined us as a management
trainee (MGT) in a Chicago store in 1992. Less than
two years later, he was promoted to store manager. First,
he managed a smaller store, then worked his way up to
running a busy 24-hour store. As an emerging leader,
Johnson was later transferred to another 24-hour store
where he worked for four years.
G
service clerk
eorge Fong must have found the fountain of youth
because he doesn’t look a day older than when he
started stocking shelves in 1983. “I love my job,”
he says. “It keeps me moving.”
Fong started out working part-time while in high
school, then continued to work during college. “I
wanted to stay with Walgreens from the start,” he says,
“because I worked for managers who were great role
models. I could see it was a growing company, and
I wanted to be just like them.”
As soon as Fong graduated, he became an assistant
manager and then an executive assistant manager (EXA).
Este artículos está disponible en Español en “StoreNet.”
pharmacy intern
“Those experiences helped me develop the customer
service skills I use today,” says Colón. “And as a pharmacy
manager, I relate to everyone working in the pharmacy
because I’ve done every job myself.”
Today, Colón manages 12 employees in a store that
averages more than 400 prescriptions per day. “Pharmacy
work is a multi-tasking balancing act,” she says. “I love
the fast pace and my interactions with patients and
employees. I try to be a strong manager by communicating
expectations and providing feedback. And I try to be
compassionate by listening, teaching and encouraging
my staff to grow with the company, just as I did.”
district manager
“The staff at my last store gave me the promotion to
district manager in 2001,” says Johnson. “I had 65 employees
helping me run a high-profit store, and I couldn’t have
succeeded without them.”
As Baltimore North district manager, he’s responsible
for as many as 30 stores. “I try to spend as much quality time as possible with employees,” says Johnson. “I
point out what people do right and make suggestions to
help them improve. I don’t want to beat anyone up. After
all, good working relationships will encourage employees to
stay longer. And the longer people stay, the better they get.”
assistant manager
In 1999, he achieved his goal of becoming a store manager
and is now running his fourth store in Chicago.
“The best parts of my job are seeing my employees
every day and taking care of customers,” says Fong. “I’m
here to manage a successful store. To do that, my responsibility is to teach and develop people and train them in
customer service.”
Based on his experience, Fong knows what it takes to
build a career at Walgreens. “New employees need a positive attitude and to ask questions,” he says. “Then, if you
work hard and take care of customers, the company will
take care of you.”
Everyone starts a career somewhere. Here,
three individuals share their thoughts
about career opportunities and their
advice for advancement at Walgreens.
– Iris Iglarsh
pharmacy manager
Tom Spitz
pharmacist
Shan Gordon
Lisa Colón
Stephen Johnson
EXA
store manager
George Fong
5
Keep stocking
shelves when
customers are
nearby – they’ll leave
you alone sooner
or later.
1
Some things are guaranteed to drive a customer out
of our stores faster than the Energizer Bunny on an
overdose of caffeine. These 10 tips show you how to
lose a customer and then watch our sales and profit
sharing match plummet, while complaints to our
consumer relations hot line skyrocket.
1
Refuse to apologize. When it comes to dealing
2
Make unrealistic promises. A customer comes
3
Don’t acknowledge the customer. You see
Don’t talk to
customers as they
wander the aisles.
Instead, check up on
your favorite team.
WAYS to
with customers, refusing to apologize only irks
them into a fire-breathing fit. A simple and sincere
“I’m sorry” can reduce a customer’s temper drastically. This is especially hard when you’re right, but
it’s the best way to avoid a tense situation.
in for Big Roll on sale, but you’re out of stock.
You tell her to come back tomorrow, but when she
returns, you say the item won’t be in for another
two days. Always tell customers the truth right off
the bat, especially when it comes to ad outs.
shoppers out of the corner of your eye, but you’re
just not in the mood to deal with them. Customers
come first, so even if you’re filling prescriptions or
completing a reset, stop and ask if they need help.
4
Forget where items are located. Shrug your
shoulders when customers ask for Q-tips and you’ll
see them walk away – for good. People count on you
to know where products are located, especially hardto-find items like pipe cleaners and shoehorns.
5
View customers as dollar signs. Long check-
out lines can stress anyone out. Adding a service
clerk who doesn’t look people in the eye or say
“thank you” is guaranteed to put customers over
the edge. While we need speed, remember to
sprinkle it with common courtesy.
6
Thanks to store manager Brian Keimach,
now manager at 3093 Cleveland Ave., and
employees at 4401 Cleveland Ave., both
in Columbus, Ohio, for acting as harried
employees and disgruntled customers in
this photo.
Just ignore
customers –
they can wait until
you’re good and
ready to help.
Shrug your
shoulders when
customers ask about
products or company
information.
Make sure ad
items are gone and,
before you know it,
your customers
will be, too.
Lose a Customer
6
Remain oblivious to the situation. A frantic
mom visits our drive-thru with her small child
screaming in pain. Tell mom to return to pick up
the prescription, and the kid won’t be the only
one testing her vocal chords. Consideration and
compassion are required in these situations, so
move that script to the front of the queue.
7
Focus on the smaller picture. Customers will
occasionally ask for information, such as our
CEO’s name or the toll-free consumer relations
number. You don’t know the answer, so you shrug
your shoulders and walk away. Not knowing basic
information or trying to find it shows the customer you’re not interested in Walgreens.
8
Be the unwelcome wagon. The best way to
9
Say no to a bladder in need. Deny someone
make people feel unwanted is to shoot them a
deep frown. When friends visit your home, you
greet them, chat with them and smile a lot. The
same thing should happen in our stores.
bathroom access, refuse a refund or make a rain
check request into a federal case and you’re sure to
have fewer customers. Use common sense and follow company policy for basic customer requests.
10
Be undependable. The No. 1 way to lose cus-
tomers is simple – lose their trust. As “The Pharmacy
America Trusts,” we give our customers a solid
vow that we’ll serve them and solve their problems
better than any other drugstore. We’re counting on
you to make that happen.
Tom Dubanowich
– Brodie Bertrand
7
411
The
on
As a new employee, your head is probably bursting with questions. Don’t worry, you’re not
alone. Here are answers to a few frequently asked questions from Walgreen – WAG –
folks. And look for more Q&A in the January/February issue of Walgreen World.
Q. Was there really a Mr. Walgreen?
A. Yes – and there are Walgreen family members still involved in our business. Charles R. Walgreen started the company on Chicago’s South Side in
1901. In 1939, his son – Chuck – took over the business and ran it for more
than 30 years before handing it over to his son, Cork. Today, Cork Walgreen
(Charles R. Walgreen III) remains on our board of directors as chairman
emeritus, and his son, Kevin, is a senior vice president of Store Operations.
Q. How should we respond when patients ask if we’ll match competitors’
prescription prices?
A. You can tell patients that while we don’t price match, we do work hard to
Charles R. Walgreen opened his first pharmacy in 1901.
By the time he died in 1939, Walgreen Co. was the largest
drugstore company in the country with 493 stores.
monitor the competition and offer what we feel are fair prices. So, while some
individual medications may be more expensive, patients should see overall
savings if they have all their prescriptions filled at Walgreens. But the best way
to help patients save money is to offer generics. You might also mention our
other benefits, such as a nationwide network of pharmacies and how we
have more 24-hour stores than our competition.
Q. How much does Walgreens financially help employees in pharmacy school?
A. Our pharmacy educational assistance programs
offer up to $12,000 total in financial aid for employees
taking pre-pharmacy classes and during their last four
years of pharmacy school. Students seeking additional
assistance can also apply for our location-based program. This is available to employees in their last two
years of pharmacy school who agree to work in a
designated market upon graduation.
To learn more about the eligibility requirements
for our various pharmacy educational assistance
programs, log onto www.walgreens.com/peap. To
apply, students should contact their district pharmacy supervisor.
Q. What is the policy on sick days? Can I use them
A. According to the Department of Labor, if you’re
an hourly employee, sick days can be used in hour
increments for your own illness or doctors’ appoint-
8
Michael Mauney
for doctors’ appointments? And what happens if we
don’t use all our sick time – are we reimbursed for
unused days?
Tiyaji Rogers started as a pharmacy technician
and is now pharmacy manager at 3317 Montrose
Blvd. in Houston thanks – in part – to our
pharmacy education assistance programs, which
offer financial aid for students.
WAG
ments. If you’re a salaried employee, partial sick days aren’t deducted. Either
way, unused sick time is banked up to a maximum of 30 days. We do not reimburse employees for unused days because our banking policy allows you to use
these days for future illnesses and medical apppointments.
Q. Why do we have to work on Christmas, especially if the pharmacy isn’t open?
People have 364 other days to buy pop, snacks and toothpaste – and the after-Christmas sales will still be there on Dec. 26. Isn’t family more important than a few more
dollars of profit?
A. We realize most people would prefer to spend the holidays with
their family, but our customers and patients need us 365 days a year.
On Dec. 25, 2005, we solved hundreds of life’s small emergencies as
customers dashed in to our stores for a package of diapers, more batteries or a gallon of milk. Granted, these items don’t seem as necessary
as the 336,350 prescriptions we filled that day – many for critical blood
pressure, pain and heart medications – but they may have seemed
equally important to a customer in need. And our job as a convenient
retailer is to meet those needs.
But we do try to lessen the pain of working on a holiday. Store
managers first ask for volunteers to work those days and then create
the holiday schedule well in advance so people can adjust their plans
as needed.
Q. What is “fair scheduling” and why do we require it?
A. Fair scheduling is our policy that requires employees who average
30 or more hours per week to work at least one weekend or night
shift each week. Besides being fair to everyone, this policy gives us
more hiring flexibility because it’s difficult to find people who will only
work nights and weekends. We’ve also found that this policy helps us
maintain a consistent level of high-quality customer service, no matter
what time customers stop by.
Q. Why is suggestive selling such a big deal? It’s hard to sell to the
Got more questions?
For most questions, your direct supervisor is
the best person to ask as some policies vary by
location. But these numbers can also help:
Medical insurance
800-TALK-INS
To report theft or accounting fraud
800-6NO-LOSS
If your store is closed due to a major emergency
866-WAGS-411
******
We also have corporate departments that can
assist you during business hours. You can reach
them by calling the corporate directory main line,
847-914-2500. To search by department, say
“Department,” and then say the department’s
name. For example, if you have a question about
vacation, personal leave and sick day policies, say
“Benefits.” Or, if you need to report a hostile work
environment, say “Employee Relations.”
same customers day after day. Besides, our name tags say “service
clerk,” not “sales clerk.”
A. Suggestive selling has been part of Walgreens business since our founder,
Charles R. Walgreen, first opened the doors in 1901. Today, we continue this
tradition to increase sales and because we think it gives service clerks a chance
to show off their helpful personalities and get to know their customers better.
If you’re stumped on how to approach customers, check out the tips compiled
by our top suggestive sellers chainwide. They’re posted on StoreNet under Sell>
Suggestive Selling (under Promotional Merchandising)>Best Practices.
– Angela Dahman
9
Making
the most
of your
benefits
W
hen you interviewed for your job at Walgreens, you probably
asked about the benefits in addition to your starting pay. And
why wouldn’t you? Healthcare and retirement benefits can
be as – or more – important than salary for an individual
searching for employment. That’s why we offer one of the most competitive
benefits packages in our industry. But don’t take our word for it – employees who already use our medical insurance, retirement plan and stock
purchase plan offer their tips to make the most of Walgreen benefits.
Put your wallet at ease
With three kids, Georgia and Victor Lehoczky are no strangers to doctors’
visits and medical bills. And they use our healthcare benefits to soften the
blow on their wallets.
“Everyone needs healthcare, but it’s not cheap,” says Victor, store manager at 15911 Pines Blvd. in Pembroke Pines, Fla. “Overall, we’re a healthy
family. But our kids have still racked up thousands of
dollars in medical charges. Yet I’m amazed at how
little we’ve paid compared to the total bill.”
Senior pharmacy technician Diane Hoffman (front) in
Orlando, Fla., says joining Walgreens Profit Sharing
Plan is common sense. “Who wouldn’t want to get free
money?” she says. Hoffman, pictured here with (from
left to right) her husband, Larry, and daughters, Amber
and Heather, plans to spoil future grandkids with her
retirement savings.
10
Riku + Anna
Our competitive
benefits can
offer savings
opportunities
and security.
Here’s how.
“The five of us together get more than 40 prescriptions a year,” says Georgia,
Fort Lauderdale North district pharmacy supervisor. “And though healthcare
costs increase faster than the cost of living, our co-pays stay in line.”
Enrollment tip: In many markets, we offer a choice between a Preferred
Provider Organization (PPO) or a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO).
To decide between these two types of insurance, check out the Blue Cross Blue
Shield online calculator at www.bcbsil.com/planselector.
=
+
Our profit helps you retire
Diane Hoffman is 47 years old and smart enough to plan for retirement – even if it’s
about a decade away. That’s why Hoffman, senior pharmacy tech at 13502 S. Apopka
Vineland Road in Orlando, Fla., contributes 2 percent of each paycheck to her profit
sharing account. In return, she receives a generous match from the company’s earnings.
In the past several years, that match has been at least $3 to every $1 you contribute.
“Other companies where I’ve worked have a match that’s one-to-one,” says
Hoffman. “But I’ve never seen one where it’s triple that anywhere else.”
The generous match comes from the company’s annual earnings, which you
help make as an employee. And as long as our profit increases, the money contributed to employees’ accounts will grow, too.
Enrollment tip: First and foremost, don’t put off
joining the Profit Sharing Plan. Every month you
wait could mean thousands of dollars less for retirement. Second, take time to understand the funds
and select those that fit your retirement schedule.
The quarterly Investing Matters newsletter or the
Profit Sharing Web site on StoreNet both offer
more information.
Take stock in Walgreens
Karen Schwoebel, pharmacy manager in
Collinsville, Ill., has invested in Walgreen
stock (WAG) for 16 years. She’s one of
thousands of employees who buy WAG
at a 10 percent discount and become
shareholders through our Employee
Stock Purchase Plan.
“I buy 100 shares on my birthday
each year,” says Schwoebel. “And if I
keep it up, I could be a millionaire
when I retire.”
Retirement is one reason employees invest in WAG, but the
earnings can be used any way you
choose. “I bought a grand piano after
selling some stock,” says Schwoebel.
“Now I give company stock for birthday or christening gifts.”
Enrollment tip: You have three
options for investing in Walgreen
stock – with cash, a loan or a percent
deduction from your paycheck. Depending on how much you want to buy and
what cash you have available, select the
stock plan that meets your needs. Then, keep
investing small amounts over time.
Your pay, plus more
L
ast year, Walgreens payroll was nearly
$5.7 billion – plus an additional $1.9 billion
in benefits. That means, on average, each
dollar in your paycheck is worth $1.34 once you
add in benefits, such as vacation days and dental
insurance. Here’s a list of all the benefits we offer
so you can see where the 34 cents goes.
Paid time-off benefits
• Sick days
• Short- and long-term disability pay
• Vacation days
• Holidays
• Funeral, military and jury duty leaves
Benefits required by law, but paid by Walgreens
• Social Security
• Unemployment pay
• Workers’ compensation
Health and welfare benefits
• Medical insurance through an HMO or
the Walgreen Medical Plan PPO
• Walgreens Prescription Drug Plan
• Dental Plan
• Company-paid life insurance
• Flex Pay Plan
Retirement and stock plans
• Profit Sharing Plan
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Various stock options
Other benefits
• Holiday gifts
• 15 percent employee discount
• Patelco Credit Union
• Voluntary accident and life insurance plans
To learn more about Walgreen benefits, eligibility and enrollment deadlines, log on to StoreNet
and click Policy & Procedure>Compensation &
Benefits>Benefits Overview. Pharmacy staff click
Non Rx first. WalNet2 users click Personal first.
– Brodie Bertrand
11
we’re (almost) coast to coast
In 2007, we’ll have stores in all 48 contiguous states.
94
2
1
41
2
103
17
184
8
77
7
25
53
504
109
430
22
56
62
87
192
74
53
31
47
39
539
107
16
89
193
159
149
50
229
56
171
55
43
59
13
51
106
96
681
We’ll have stores in Delaware and
West Virginia in 2006 and open Maine in 2007.
69
Store counts as of May 31, 2006. For the latest numbers on StoreNet or WalNet, store users click News>Store Information. Pharmacy staff click Non Rx first.
new STORE managers*
Sales*
Earnings*
prescriptions filled*
Positions filled
Billions of dollars
Millions of dollars
In millions
750
$45
$1,500
500
600
$36
$1,200
400
450
$27
$900
300
300
$18
$600
200
150
$9
$300
100
’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05
’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05
’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05
’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05
Walgreen World, Mail Stop #2166
200 Wilmot Road
Deerfield, Illinois 60015
[email protected]
Managers: To order more copies of this
magazine, see your Human Resources
department or order directly from the
warehouse. WIC: 959240 (in packs of 10)
*As of Aug. 31, 2005.
This special issue of Walgreen World was published by Walgreens Corporate Communications department.
Liz Muhler, Editor Brodie Bertrand, Managing Editor
Angela Dahman & Iris Iglarsh, Writers
Bob Zeni & Associates, Design
Selected articles from this publication are available in Spanish on the intranet. On StoreNet or WalNet, store users click News>En Espanol (under Publications). Pharmacy staff click Non Rx first.
Articulos seleccionados en esta publicación están disponibles en Español en Intranet. En StoreNet o WalNet, entrar en News>En Español (bajo Publications). Personal del recetario favor entrar primero a Non Rx.
On the cover: Chris Reyes, pharmacy technician at 6320 N. Eldridge Pkwy. in Houston. Photo by Rocky Kneten.