Walmart: Most Innovative Retailer United States 2019

Very few sectors are as competitive as retail, and the fact that Walmart has gone from a single discount store to the world’s largest retailer in 50 years speaks volumes. The company’s ability to give its customers what they want by giving more for less is undeniable. Of course, as all business leaders know, getting to the top is one thing, staying there another. That Walmart has managed to do so is very much down to innovation. As the world’s largest private employer, it recognises that customer needs are moving along, and retail work is changing to meet those needs. In 2019, the firm announced a new way to make online grocery shopping even easier – Walmart Voice Order – a service that gives customers the option to add items to their Walmart Online Grocery Cart by simply saying the words. Through a partnership with Apple, that service is now available on Siri. Walmart believes in empowering staff to reach their full potential and has opened 200 Walmart Academies since 2016. These academies provide a clear path to advancement; more than 52,000 associates have graduated in the past three years. New working practices that maximise the use of technology have streamlined many tasks and allow managers to take on a more solutions-based role, helping their teams meet their goals. Last year, it launched Walmart2World, a global money transfer service that has driven down prices. The CFI.co judging panel wishes to reward its continued dedication to innovation and improvement by naming Walmart the Most Innovative Retailer United States (2019).