“Inside Your Dream Company” is an ongoing series that enables young professionals to understand the professional needs of companies.
The “Disneyland of dairy stores,” Stew Leonard’s, is a family-owned and operated fresh food store founded in 1969. Stew’s has four stores in Norwalk, Danbury, and Newington, Conn. and Yonkers, N.Y. Stew Leonard’s just recently ranked 18th on the list of best companies to work for by Fortune. The family-based foundation of the company sets the work ethic of all employees. Furthermore, the company’s approach to customer service is unmatched.
Stew Leonard’s HR manager Chris Arnette says, “Stew Leonard’s legion of loyal shoppers is largely due to the stores’ passionate approach to customer service: ‘Rule #1 — The Customer is Always Right; Rule #2 – If the Customer is Ever Wrong, Re-Read Rule #1.’ This principle is so essential to the foundation of the company that it is etched in a three-ton granite rock at each store’s entrance.”
Arnette has been at Stew Leonard’s for over 33 years, and for 28 years she has worked in human resources. Loyalty to customers and Stew’s, is an important trait of their employees and Arnette is a great representation of that characteristic.
Fitting into the culture at Stew’s is quintessential for new employees. Arnette said, “The applicant must have a positive attitude and be the type of person who will accept and practice our customer service philosophy.” She looks for applicants who will enjoy working in a team setting and are eager to learn their job and serve customers — whether the customer is one of their 100,000 weekly shoppers or a farmer who supplies Stew’s with fresh produce. Those qualities are crucial, as well as the basic knowledge and skills required of the position.
Stew’s hiring process also reflects on the company culture. All job opportunities are offered first to in-house employees through their job posting system. When hiring from the outside, they accept referrals from current team members, review applications on file, including those received through the career website.
Arnette said, “Once the initial screening on paper is conducted, to insure the applicant can work the necessary days/schedule, has a favorable employment history, and meets any specified job criteria, candidates are invited in for a first interview with human resources.”
One of her favorite questions to ask in an interview is “Where do you sit in a movie theater?” That question allows the hiring managers to see how people think on their feet. “If the applicant can just ‘go with it’ and answer, I can see how they will react on the store floor when asked an unusual question by one of our customers. And, we get plenty of these every day!” Arnette elaborated.
Once you become member of the Stew’s team, growth within the company is very likely. “Everyone has the opportunity to grow at Stew Leonard’s. Nearly ninety percent of our management team were grown from within, meaning they started their careers in front line positions and earned promotions and new job opportunities,” says Arnette.
If you are a young professional looking to begin a career at Stew Leonard’s, Arnette advises to work hard, be open to new learning experiences and don’t worry if you are starting in a position that is not at the top of the ladder. “With hard work, a great attitude and learning as much as you can, you will be at the top of the ladder very soon,” she says.
So, if you set your goals, do your research, and bring your positive attitude to the interview you could find yourself working at the “Disneyland of dairy stores.”
For more information, visit Stew Leonard’s website at www.stewleonards.com.
