New Walmart manager hopes to bring positive change
There’s a new manager in town, and he’s hoping to bring positive change not only to the local Walmart Supercenter, but the community as a whole.
Carvon Smith, 28, started on Jan. 2 as the store manager of El Dorado’s Walmart store. In the nearly two months he’s been here, he said he’s already started to see a turnaround.
“This store really needed the change. When I got here, I could see why the customers complained, why morale and engagement weren’t there,” he said. “We can see when customers leave comments, and now, I’m getting more good comments from the customers: ‘It’s a full 360,’ ‘It’s always clean.’”
Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Smith got his start with Walmart eight years ago at the McCain Boulevard location in North Little Rock, where he worked as a maintenance associate. Meanwhile, he was studying business administration at Philander Smith College in Little Rock.
“When I graduated college, I went straight into supervisor roles. I held supervisor roles until 2018; 2018 is when I started my salaried career,” Smith said.
From North Little Rock, Smith transferred to Maumelle, then to several locations in Texas, including Westworth Village, Roanoke, Jacksboro, Irving and Mansfield.
Then in January, Smith landed in El Dorado, where he celebrated eight years at Walmart this month.
Smith said one thing that’s important to him as he acclimates to his new community is getting involved, both personally and through the company. He said he’d like to get involved in local government.
“I want to hear what my customers and the residents have to really say on what to improve about Walmart, or what they’ve seen that’s improved,” he said. “I want to be involved with the mayor and governor, anything with Arkansas and El Dorado, to find out what Walmart can add to this city.”
At stores he’s previously worked at, volunteerism among associates was encouraged, and he said he plans to do the same here.
“The stores I worked at, we were big in volunteering, and not just at the holiday time, but all year round,” Smith said. “We did toy drives at the holidays, backto-school drives, Shop with a Cop… Those are the biggest ones.”
He said he also hopes El Dorado associates can help raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network, a group of hospitals supported by the Walmart Inc. corporation. Last year, Walmart associates across the U.S. raised more than $50 million for the Children’s Miracle Network, according to the company.
As for the store itself, Smith said there are several areas he wants to focus on.
“Clean – you come in and the store is clean. Zone – things are able to be found. Friendly – I’m always approachable, and any customer that’s on the floor, I see; I do minimal office work, because everything’s digitized, so I can do everything from the floor,” he said.
Most important, he said, is what the community thinks
about the local Walmart. “My biggest thing is standing for this community: What does it need? What can I do? And how can I invest back in it?” Smith said. “This is the only Walmart for the next 40 minutes… A big local company, the expectations are high, so bringing that fun shopping experience where people can find what they need and get checked out in a timely manner … If I was to summarize that, (I think) inspire, motivate, get captivated and guide and operate with discipline would be good words.”
For others looking to move up in business like Smith, he said education is key.
“I started off with my education. Go out and pursue your dreams and desires through school, then find a company you can find your niche in. Originally, when I was studying business, I wanted to get into real estate… Then I found retail. Business is so broad, and you’ve got to find your niche. Walmart was my niche,” he said.
He said he hopes he can inspire others to aspire to high positions in the community.
“Hopefully I am shining a light to the positive things people can do. Especially in this area, if you don’t have that many opportunities – being in this position is big. I hope (the community) will look at it in that aspect, and hope they give their all when they get employed here or elsewhere,” he said.