Local check-out team among country's best

Last week more than 50 checkout operators from Taranaki New World, PAK'nSAVE and Shoprite stores tested their skills onstage at the TSB Showplace in New Plymouth in the hopes of taking out the title of Foodstuffs North Island Checker of the Year.

Owner operator of Stratford New World, Craig Waite, says he is delighted with the results achieved by their team, with six staff members placing in the top 12.

"In fact, the top five contained four members of our team, with Malissa Alexander and Jacinta Frost taking second and third place respectively."

The checkers were judged by a team of eight senior Foodstuffs staff on their speed, presentation, customer service and accuracy as they scanned 30 items as fast as possible, while also staying friendly and composed.

"Our Checker of the Year competition has being going for over 40 years, and is a fun night for checkers to demonstrate their fantastic customer service skills and engage in a bit of friendly competition with other stores," says event organiser Kristie McGregor.

Craig says all the team at Stratford New World pride themselves on their fantastic customer skills, and enjoy the opportunity to demonstrate them at the competition.

"Our checkout crew are awesome and 'cleanup' at this event every year."

The team didn't only dominate the main competition, but they also won the checkout team competition as well as best supporters and best team costume.

Craig says the store has been competing for years and has seen checkers placed in the top three for the past two years.

"The competition is all about the checkers, but the whole store including the butchers, bakers and deli team get behind it.

"We're a tight-knit team and it's great to have the chance to get together."

There are 10 regional Checker of the Year competitions across the North Island throughout June and July, with mystery shoppers testing each region's winner to determine one overall North Island Checker of the Year winner and two runners-up, which will be announced at the Foodstuffs North Island Excellence Awards on November 14.