Aisle Spy
The blog that goes behind the scenes at Asda.
Meet our graduates
Saboah
Transport Line Manager
Distribution Graduate
I'm Sab and I'm a Transport Line Manager at our depot in Didcot.
Before I started on the programme, I'd been with Asda for a few years at different depots. So, having seen the learning and development potential first hand, Asda was the natural choice after my degree.
The first two weeks of the scheme were spent at a Distribution Academy before going on a mini tour of some of our high performing depots. It was fantastic as it gave us a rare opportunity to work together as a team, whilst getting to grips with different depot operations.
Now on my first placement, I have a team of 95 drivers, 10 clerical colleagues, 4 team leaders and 3 trainers. It's both exciting and challenging to know the whole team personally. It's even more exciting co-ordinating our teams to ensure stores have all they need.
With stock in and deliveries out, it's varied and fast paced. A driver may need immediate answers on issues affecting their load, trailer weight, driving time or even personal issues. I could be asking a Warehouse Manager to give our driver a quick turnaround. I might be doing a monthly driver review, covering driving performance and business expectations. Or I could even be in a planning meeting with driver assessors who are delivering NVQs. Working with drivers can be challenging – I had to earn my stripes! They’ve limited time before going on the road again, so I have to use my time wisely.
Enthusiasm, teamwork and a keen eye for detail are all essential. As is the ability to think on your feet. For example, if a driver phones to say they've been delayed, you need to think about what that means to the store and delivery performance, and act immediately. It’s so varied and I've come so far. When my first day didn’t go according to plan, I was open about it. With support and training, I learnt how to strengthen my team and set clear goals to meet our delivery targets.
By providing me with technical knowledge and 'hands on' experience, Asda have helped my career. I now want to start influencing strategic decisions at senior level. Through regular reviews with my manager and a dedicated mentor, Asda are helping me once again. It’s challenging but the rewards and development opportunities are huge.
Asda have a supportive culture, blending business responsibility with great fun. I've even taken part in a show as part of a local carnival event. We were all in fancy dress and raised money for local charities. We loved it, the people loved it and most of all the judges loved it! We came back to the depot with some great memories and a trophy too! Asda is the place to achieve your potential whilst enjoying what you do.