Comparative Analysis of Customer Service: Walmart & 7-Eleven

This case study provides a comparative analysis of the customer service strategies employed by Walmart and 7-Eleven, two prominent retail chains. The study begins with an introduction to both companies, highlighting their market presence and key operational aspects. The core of the analysis involves a detailed examination of each company's strengths, such as Walmart's diverse delivery services and employee training programs, and 7-Eleven's use of technology and 24/7 customer service. Subsequently, the study identifies weaknesses, including Walmart's uniform service approach and privacy concerns, and 7-Eleven's lack of direct customer interaction and employee privacy policies. Potential threats to both companies are also explored, such as Walmart's privacy regulations and 7-Eleven's lack of employee development. Finally, the study outlines opportunities for both companies to improve their customer service, including Walmart's use of social media and 7-Eleven's expansion in key markets. The conclusion summarizes the findings, emphasizing Walmart's more structured customer service mechanism and its overall advantage over 7-Eleven.

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Company strengths..........................................................................................................................2
Walmart.......................................................................................................................................2
7-Eleven.......................................................................................................................................3
Company weaknesses......................................................................................................................4
Walmart.......................................................................................................................................4
7-Eleven.......................................................................................................................................4
Company threats..............................................................................................................................5
Walmart.......................................................................................................................................5
7-Eleven.......................................................................................................................................5
Company Opportunities...................................................................................................................6
Walmart.......................................................................................................................................6
7-Eleven.......................................................................................................................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7
Reference.........................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction
Walmart and 7-Eleven are the most popular retail chain in international business. Both
the organisation has enough market capitalisations that proves the success of their businesses. As
far as Walmart is concerned, the retail chain has more than 10,000 retail stores across the world
and operates in 27 countries with different names (corporate.walmart.com 2019). As a matter of
fact, Walmart is ranked the top in the highest revenue generating companies around the world
with a worth of US$ 500 billion (Walmart.com 2019). On the other hand, 7-Eleven has lesser
market capitalisation operating in 17 countries. Founded in 1927, 7-Eleven still fails to maximise
its market effectively in the international platform profoundly (corp.7-eleven.com 2019). There
are several reasons behind the differences between Walmart and 7-Eleven.Customer service
reputation can be identified as one of the significant aspect that facilitates certain distinction
between Walmart and 7-Eleven. The research of Shahri et al. (2016) advocated that it is pivotal
for the international corporations to put emphasis on the customer service management so that
the reputation and image of the organisation can be restored effectively.
This research is going to evaluate the customer services practices of both Walmart and 7-
Eleven and compare the mechanism by stating the strengths, weaknesses, threats and
opportunities of both the companies.
Company strengths
Walmart
A wide range of delivery services has been practiced by the Walmart management in
order to embolden the relationship with the customers. First of all, the pickup and delivery

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service of Walmart is considered to be an effective approach that the Walmart management is
carried out in order to make a good relationship with the local customers. Based on the research
of Kaura, Durga Prasad and Sharma (2015) it can be derived that direct interaction with the
customers can be achieved through delivery services and it leaves a great deal of positive impact
on the customer psyche. Besides this, it is also important for Walmart to ensure the security and
safety of its customers that will help the organisation to maintain ethical business practice and
retain customers effectively (corporate.walmart.com 2017). Walmart management is highly
aware of the changing trends in the market. Therefore, employee training and development is
also included into the customer service management practice of Walmart. It helps the company
to get strategic advantage in the competitive global market in terms of satisfying basic needs and
requirements of the customers and their practices.
7-Eleven
For establishing an effective relationship with consumers, 7-Eleven management is
looking for advanced and popular technologies. For instance, using software application for the
local and remote customers is undoubtedly an important aspect for 7-Eleven to form a better
service mechanism for the customers. Scherer, Wünderlich and Von Wangenheim (2015) opined
that technological advancement made the organisation rely on technology. In this regard,
implementing new technologies in customer service process is definitely an effective and
strategic measure for 7-Eleven to maximise its customers profoundly. Apart from that there is
also a 24/7 customer service number that is entitled to assist the customers in anytime (corp.7-
eleven.com 2019). The purpose of the organisation is to provide the best solution to the
customers within a quick response so that they do not have wait for long. This practice also

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emphasises that a healthy and effective relationship between the employees and the customers is
identified to be the most important aspect for 7-Eleven to follow.
Company weaknesses
Walmart
One of the major weaknesses of Walmart’s customer service practice is that the service
practice is the same in all the stores both domestic and international market. However, from the
research of Shahri et al. (2016) it can be argued that variation in the market demands can also be
differentiated region wise. It means different region has different kind of demands and
specifications. It is the responsibility of the business organisations to evaluate the regional
markets differently and provide services based on the analysis (Hyken 2016). The privacy rights
of the Walmart are also under the scrutiny of scholarly world (corporate.walmart.com 2019). The
privacy policy of the company states that sharing customer information with subsidiary company
is practiced. It is not possible for the customers to have knowledge regarding all the subsidiaries
of Walmart. As a result of that there is always a possibility of information breach. As a matter of
fact, the complaint process is so time consuming that the customers feel disgusted and annoyed.
7-Eleven
There are certainly a number of loopholes in the customer service management of 7-
Eleven. Badwan et al. (2017) opined that putting high emphasis on the technology makes it lack
of direct interaction with the customers. As a result of that it is obvious for 7-Eleven to create a
strong customer base that influences and attracts the customers extensively. In addition to this,
lack of employee privacy policy is also considered to be a great problem for 7-Eleven to satisfy
the expectation of the customers. McLean and Wilson (2016) pointed out that breaching

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classified customer information is a serious violation of the ethical business practice of any
organisation. It can damage the reputation of the company predominantly and reducing number
of customers as well. 7-Eleven has a privacy set up but lack of transparency into the privacy
policy makes them sceptical about the real intention of the company (Datalogic.com 2019). It is
also a reason for reducing number of customers for 7-Eleven.
Company threats
Walmart
There are some potential threats for Walmart for developing an effective customer
service practice. For instance, the organisation does not have strict regulation over its privacy
policy. Customers do not feel secured enough to share their information while log in to the
company website. Based on the research of Kumar and Reinartz (2016) it can be stated that
privacy policy is identified as one of the important aspects for the business organisations because
it generates some sort of satisfaction and assurance to the customers to purchase products
without having a breach of information.
7-Eleven
For 7-Eleven, the major threat is resembled with the entire customer service framework.
It can be argued that from the perspective of the management, the customer service framework is
definitely a better practice with high value. However, lack of imagination of the customer
priorities and market trend lead to a monotonous and prolonged customer service practice from
the point of view of the customer (Dupre 2016). There is no such employee training and
development practice that the organisation is follow in order to create an effective customer
service mechanism. Asfaw, Argaw and Bayissa (2015) portrayed that the training and

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development measure is not only helped the organisation to increase its productivity rather the
employee satisfaction measure is also associated with it. Therefore, for 7-Eleven lack of
employee engagement policies in terms of training and development paves the way for turnover
of skilled customer service employees. As a result of that it causes a threat to the establishment
of 7-Eleven and damages the good customer service practices also.
Company Opportunities
Walmart
There are plenty of opportunities that Walmart can use in course of making its customer
service unique and efficient. For instance, using the advanced technologies can help to gain more
competitive advantage in the market (Walmart.com 2019). It can be stated that using social
media as a right platform to grab the attention of the customers and directly make conversation
with them. Based on the research of Charoensukmongkol and Sasatanun (2017) it can be derived
that the advent of technology made social media is a strategic platform for the business
organisations to not only promote their products but also make contacts with the customers
directly. For Walmart, using social media will be an effective medium for making better contact
with the existing and potential customers and resolve their queries and issues in a proactive
manner (corporate.walmart.com 2019).
7-Eleven
The opportunities for 7-Eleven is quite high but critical enough to maximise its business
in the developed countries. One of the major opportunities for the organisation is that it still has a
large market in the Asian and Latin American region that can be exploited highly. However, 7-
Eleven has to keep in mind that customer service practice has to be transformed with more

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positive attitude so that it will shape the reputation of the organisation in the international
market. There are plenty of measure that the organisation can follow in terms of using
technology to deliver products or making a direct complaint acceptance wing so that digitally all
the customer service related issues can be resolved. There are still room for 7-Eleven to touch the
pinnacle of success despite of having high competitiveness in market.
Conclusion
Based on the above discussion, it can be argued that the customer service practice in
Walmart is far better than 7-Eleven. It is true that utilisation of technology is lack in case of
Walmart but the company puts great deal of emphasis on its human resource. As a result of that
it becomes more effective and strategic enough for the organisation to reach out to the customers
effectively. Henceforth, it can be concluded that there are certainly some issues that Walmart is
facing in its customer service program but lack of structured and managed customer service
mechanism costs 7-Eleven more in compare to Walmart.

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