Walmart Case Study

WalMartin

Sundown Rule

The Sundown Rule

One Sunday morning, Jeff, a pharmacist at a Wal-Mart store in Harrison, Ark., received a call from his store. A store associate informed him that one of his pharmacy customers, a diabetic, had accidentally dropped her insulin down her garbage disposal. Knowing that a diabetic without insulin could be in grave danger, Jeff immediately rushed to the store, opened the pharmacy and filled the customer's insulin prescription. This is just one of many ways your local Wal-Mart store might honor what is known by our associates as the Sundown Rule.

It's a rule we take seriously at Wal-Mart. In this busy place, where our jobs depend on one another, it's our standard to get things done today - before the sun goes down. Whether it's a request from a store across the country or a call from down the hall, every request gets same-day service. These are our working principles.

The Sundown Rule was our founder, Sam Walton's twist on that old adage "why put off until tomorrow what you can do today." It is still an important part of our Wal-Mart culture and is one reason our associates are so well-known for their customer service. The observation of the Sundown Rule means we strive to answer requests by sundown on the day we receive them.

It supports Mr. Sam's three basic beliefs:

1. respect for the individual,

2. customer service

3. and striving for excellence.

At Wal-Mart, our associates understand that our customers live in a busy world. The Sundown Rule is just one way we try to demonstrate to our customers that we care.

The Wal-Mart Culture

As Wal-Mart continues to grow into new areas and new mediums, our success will always be attributed to our culture. Whether you walk into a Wal-Mart store in your hometown or one across the country while you're on vacation, you can always be assured you're getting low prices and that genuine customer service you've come to expect from us. You'll feel at home in any department of any store...that's our culture.

3 Basic Beliefs

Learn more about the three philosophies Sam Walton built the company on.

The Story of Wal-Mart

"The secret of successful retailing is to give your customers what they want," Sam wrote in his autobiography.

Sam's Rules For Building A Business

In his 1992 book "Made in America", Sam Walton compiled a list of ten key factors that unlock the mystery.

Helping People Make A Difference

Sam Walton believed that each Wal-Mart store should reflect the values of its customers and support the vision they hold for their community.

Exceeding Customer Expectations

As Wal-Mart associates we know it is not good enough to simply be grateful to our customers for shopping our stores - we want to demonstrate our gratitude in every way we can!

Sundown Rule

The Sundown Rule was Sam Walton's twist on that old adage, "why put off until tomorrow what you can do today".

Ten Foot Rule

"I want you to promise that whenever you come within 10 feet of a customer, you will look him in the eye, greet him and ask him if you can help him."

Pricing Philosophy

Thanks to the legacy of Sam Walton, Wal-Mart is a store you can count on every day to bring you value for your dollar.

The Wal-Mart Cheer

We do have fun, we do work hard, and we always remember whom we're doing it for - the customer.

3 Basic Beliefs

Sam Walton's 3 Basic Beliefs the company was built on.

Sam Walton built Wal-Mart on the revolutionary philosophies of excellence in the workplace, customer service and always having the lowest prices. We have always stayed true to the Three Basic Beliefs Mr. Sam established in 1962:

1. Respect for the Individual

2. Service to Our Customers

3. Strive for Excellence

Respect the Individual

" 'Our people make the difference' is not a meaningless slogan - it's a reality at Wal-Mart. We are a group of dedicated, hardworking, ordinary people who have teamed together to accomplish extraordinary things. We have very different backgrounds, different colors and different beliefs, but we do believe that every individual deserves to be treated with respect and dignity."

Don Soderquist,

Senior Vice Chairman of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (Retired)

Service to Our Customers

We want our customers to trust in our pricing philosophy and to always be able to find the lowest prices with the best possible service. We're nothing without our customers.

Strive for Excellence

New ideas and goals make us reach further than ever before. We try to find new and innovative ways to push our boundaries and constantly improve.

"Sam was never satisfied that prices were as low as they needed to be or that our product's quality was as high a they deserved