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Sweeping Industry News Bulletin |
WalMart Now Requires Exterior Maintenance
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WorldSweeper's Editor conducted an approximately 18-minute audio interview with a long-time sweeping contractor who has gone through the ServiceChannel videos. The contractor, who is located in the Southern part of the U.S., was interviewed anonymously about what he learned about the required system that WalMart is rolling out. Note: To play the interview, click this link or on the small triangle inside the circle you see to the left. If you have any trouble accessing this audio, please let us know. |
Dear Walmart Service Provider, We are excited to share with you our new process for providing exterior services to our stores. Our recent program changes have returned the service provider selection to our stores. Our store(s) have indicated that they would like for your company to perform one or more exterior services. In order to effectively manage our exterior services program, Walmart has partnered with ServiceChannel, an online technology company. Service Channel enables national retailers and their existing contractors to work together more effectively by providing them with a single online platform to manage service requests, work orders, proposals and invoices. We will be utilizing ServiceChannel to help us complete the following tasks:
We are confident this program will be rewarding for both you and Walmart:
It is mandatory that all Walmart Exterior Services contractors are trained on ServiceChannel and participate in the program. We will be unable to use contractors who are not fully operational with ServiceChannel. Therefore, it is important for you to complete the registration and respond to the training invitation as soon as you receive the information from ServiceChannel. Please check your SPAM/Junk Mail Folder if request is not found. You will soon be receiving an invitation to register on ServiceChannel's FixxbookPlus website as well as an invitation to take part in a web-based training session with ServiceChannel staff within the next 10 days. If your company has been previously trained on ServiceChannel and does not need additional training, please notify ServiceChannel at trainingdept@servicechannel.com or 516-240-6810. Indicate that you have received the letter for Walmart and that training is not required. Your user id, password and IVR pin will be the same as for other clients. Please note that even though you may have been previously trained, this does not mean you have registered on FixxbookPlus. These two functions are separate.
Following training and launch of the program, ServiceChannel technical support will be available to you: We look forward to continuing to build a strong relationship with your company and thank you for your cooperation with this important initiative. Sincerely, Walmart Supplier Administration Management Team – conthelp@wal-mart.com Walmart Exterior Services Management Team – extsrvs@wal-mart.com |
Editor's Note: If you have more information about this story, please let us know. If appropriate, we'll add it to the bottom of this page.
I recently listened to the audio interview you posted regarding Wal-Mart and Service Channel. I've been getting these emails for almost 2 months and out of pure wishful thinking I have ignored them... wishing them away...
After the USM debacle, my stomach turns at the thought of another IVR process such as this.. We have run a family sweeping business (also in the south) for my entire life of 38 years. Our company was started by my father at that time, and I (like your interviewee) see no benefit to these control freak nightmare systems... at least that is what I call them. They allow every opportunity for mistakes and excuses not to pay for work performed.
If the store managers cannot look out their front windows and tell whether or not their parking lot was swept correctly... then they should be terminated immediately. And that is how simple this process should remain. Just as was stated in the interview, we are hired to do a job... we do it... and we send an invoice. If we are not living up to our obligations, the store management will easily be able to tell. It really irritates me to read these words:
"We are excited about this partnership and believe you will find this to be a beneficial program for your company."
I see NO way that this complicated, control freak, nightmare system, could possibly "benefit" my company.. or Wal-Mart for that matter... I would love to say that we are dropping our Wal-Mart Accounts. However, at this point we may not be able to afford the loss of income and we have not decided our course of action.
I too would like to remain anonymous on this issue for the time being. As we may be forced to comply and continue to work with Wal-Mart. I enjoy and appreciate the information you provide those of us in the industry.
Thank you, Sincerely...
Another Southern Sweeper
I do not like the new system Service Channel it has cost us money. We may receive a check and 3 days later receive anothr check.Can't keep with up with what they owe and what they do pay. We have received 4 checks; Oct is still not paid and they are starting on paying Nov.
Now the way I do business is that you pay Oct. and then pay Nov. Like I said, Wal-mart still owes us for Oct I know of a sweeping company that hasn't gotten a check since Sept. 17. It is about like USM was (useless) Why can't we just do the work and send a invoice at the end of the month to Wal-Mart and they send back the payment? It would be so easy and save Wal-Mart money. Several companies are unhappy with the service. Thank You
– Midwest Sweeping Contractor
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