RICHMOND, Va. -- Ukrop's Super Markets here is featured as one of nine top service-oriented companies in a new book that examines the nature of quality customer service.
In particular, the 26-unit, family-owned chain is cited for its quick response to customers' quests for meal solutions, which includes large self-serve salad bars in many units.
The book, "Discovering the Soul of Service," was written by Leonard L. Berry, author of "On Great Service" which was published five years ago. In that book, Berry zeroed in on West Point Market, Akron, Ohio, as a company that epitomizes top customer service.
Ukrop's is the only supermarket profiled in the current book. Other companies discussed are Chick-fil-A, Midwest Airlines, The Charles Schwab Corp., Dial-A-Mattress and Enterprise Rent-A-Car.
In a section on being sensitive to customer needs and wants, the book points out, "Ukrop's was one of the nation's first supermarket chains to sense opportunity in consumers' escalating time poverty. Working women had less time to shop. In response, Ukrop's shifted its merchandising emphasis to solution shopping and meal idea centers, ready-to-eat dinners for two and in-store restaurants serving a variety of made-to-order items."
Also in that section, citing the quality of Ukrop's products, Berry says Ukrop's sells more fried chicken in the Richmond market than KFC does.
The book discusses various aspects of the "soul of service," such as companies' investment in employees, outstanding service to customers, how they sustain success over the years and service to the community. Since Ukrop's is discussed in almost every chapter, the index carries 29 references to the chain.
In one chapter titled "Success-Sustaining Values," Ukrop's is cited as particularly dedicated to improving its hometown community.
"Providing financial support to numberous charities, playing a leadership role in the economic development of Richmond and investing in the quality of family are important matters at Ukrop's," the author wrote.
"Ukrop's policy to close on Sundays so associates may be with their families costs the company money and probably has encouraged some competitors to enter the market, but it's not all about making money," he continued.
Bob Ukrop, president and chief executive officer of the company, is quoted: "We enjoy what we do. It's not about the money. It's about life."
The author holds the JC Penney chair of retailing studies and is professor of marketing and director of the center for retailing studies at Texas A&M University. The book was published this spring by Free Press, a division of Simon & Schuster, New York.
