Business Communication Analysis: Woolworths' Challenges and Strategies

This annotated bibliography provides an in-depth analysis of various articles concerning the business communication challenges faced by Woolworths. The articles cover a range of issues, including technical outages, customer service problems, competitive pressures from rivals like Aldi, and the impact of political and economic uncertainty. The bibliography examines how Woolworths has struggled with IT risks, sales force effectiveness, and the importance of customer relationship management. It also explores strategies the company has employed to address these challenges, such as restructuring, price cuts, and efforts to improve customer satisfaction through product availability and service quality. The analysis highlights the importance of effective communication, strategic planning, and adaptability in the face of market competition and changing consumer demands.

Running Head: BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
0
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
1
Table of Contents
Article 1...........................................................................................................................................2
Article 2...........................................................................................................................................2
Article 3...........................................................................................................................................2
Article 4...........................................................................................................................................3
Article 5...........................................................................................................................................3
Article 6...........................................................................................................................................4
Article 7...........................................................................................................................................4
Article 8...........................................................................................................................................4
Article 9...........................................................................................................................................5
Article 10.........................................................................................................................................5
Bibliography....................................................................................................................................6

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
2
Article 1
Rao, s., Eley., T., & Delibasic., S. (2018). Woolworths checkouts hit by national
outage.
In this article, authors have described the challenges of Woolworth that prevailing within
the company. This article presents the issues that consumers face within the Woolworths outlets
because of the technical outage. This also led to decrease the level of customer’s satisfaction and
reduce the organization profits. Argument of the author has been supported by them through
many customers’ issues. These kinds of issues lead to increase the negative impact on the
business and relations with the customers and employees. This has been also explained that
issues also affects website of organization due to the negative comments by customers. This has
been identified that a single mistake such as IT issue within the big organization impact the
organization growth at high level.
Article 2
Mitchell, S. (2015). Woolworths- what went wrong at the supermarket giant.
With the help of article author has explained the complaints of customers regarding
Woolworth services. The problems which customers face within the Woolworth are increase
prices, poor services, out of stock products, lack of communication regarding, and inappropriate
management of products within the shelves. This is universal truth customers are significant part
for every business. This is important for the business to know about the significance of
appropriate customers services and stock. Ineffective management of customers services lead to
lower down the organization growth. After reading the article it has been identified that issues
within the supermarket lead to loss the attraction level of customers and reduce the goodwill as
well.
Article 3
Janda, M. (2016). Woolworths supermarket struggle not over yet: UBS.
With the help of this article author has explained Woolworth supermarket struggle. This
has been explained within the article that there is still huge level of competition within the

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
3
Australian supermarkets. This has been assisted within the article through the arguments through
deliver the facts for Woolworths in Australia. This has described the forecast for Australian
supermarket future. It has also presented the current situation which highlight that competition
will increase at high level within the Australia. The main issues of organization are described
that how Woolworths growth will be impacted because of the many issues. Woolworth’s biggest
threat for the organization is new competitor organization like Lidl and Aldi. This has been
explained that these organizations have potential at high level and gain the share within the
market very well. Study of the article will help to identify that how organizations can come from
the threat of competition.
Article 4
Tay, L. (2010). How Woolworths made IT risk a business issue.
In this article, focus of author is to describe the risk of Woolworths. This article has
explained that inappropriate management of IT within the business lead to the high level of
business issues. It describes that when Woolworth executive were not capable to receive the IT
security presentation than made by organization risk management. Presentation redesigning
within the own language creates many issues. This has been stated by the Cooper that he
managed to explain the security threats regarding IT to all executives who are concerned
regarding business of supermarkets, stations of petrol, and liquor stores. The anticipated
audience within the article includes, executive, organization, management of business and risk
manager. Presentation importance can be achieved by this article.
Article 5
Jones, S. (2015). Woolworths: where did it go wrong?
This article explains the struggle of Woolworths. Information within the article explains
the article reliability. This article focuses on the segment of fresh food. Customers and members
of organization are projected audiences for the article. This has been described within the article
that organization is facing the threat at high level within the fresh food sub sector which is
dominated in past years. Main threat for the Woolworth is increase competition from Aldi which
present problem for supermarket. This article enables the understanding for readers that high

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
4
level of competition is threat for businesses. This article also explain the “cheap cheap” strategy
for the business. Woolworth’s strategy was flawed because of the increment within the
consciousness price and many economic pressures. This article also explains the sales
importance in place of competing with price.
Article 6
Mitchell, S. (2016). This is why Woolworths is in trouble.
In this article Mitchell has presented the weak side of Woolworths. This present the steps
undertaken to solve issues. Organization has announced to close the supermarkets which were
not performing effectively. This article described the significance of restructuring within the
business. This also explains the significance of employees to maintain and bring the positive
results for business. Further author within the article has explained the driver regarding
satisfaction for Woolworth as a supermarket channel. This describes that appropriate values
should be provided to customers with effective customer’s services, qualities and fresh products.
This is important for the business to balance the competitiveness of cost to gain the higher
profits.
Article 7
Deutrom, R. (2019). Woolies launches massive frozen food sale.
This article explains the important steps taken by the organization to minimize the issues.
The organization has announced to cut down the price at half price. This organization has
described the particular time for the discount. This organization has presented that there will be
availability for delivering the products at home and pick up services for customers. This article
present that organization should regularly deal with the issues and implement the proper plan to
increase the position within the market. This article describes the reliable information which has
been taken from the recent posts and news within the newspapers. The proposed audience within
the article is Woolworth’s management, readers, and committee of decision making.

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
5
Article 8
Omarjee, L. (2017). Political uncertainty impacts Woolworth’s growth.
In this article author has described the political uncertainty impact on Woolworth’s
growth. Bad trade conditions impact has been described by the author within the article. Article
consistency can be proved through seeing decline within organization growth rate. Adverse
tradition situation can directly have the impact on Woolworth’s rate of growth and sales. This
also includes the discussion about the steps which can be taken within the particular situation.
This organization has taken many initiative to introduce structural changes within the operation
of South Africa and Australia in which issues has occurred. It has been also explain within the
research that growth rate of organization is decreasing compare to first half year. It also includes
that low inflation brought he positive volume as well.
Article 9
Inside retail, (2018). Coles has “lost its way”, as Woolworths extends lead.
In this article best part of business has been described in place of challenges. This has
described the assistance of supplier’s surveys through explaining the Woolworth main
performance. This explains the understanding of elements that support the reader to know about
the business competitive advantage. This describes the areas in which Woolworth perform
effectively compare to other supermarkets in terms of availability of products within the shelf,
freshness, and many more things. This also explains the other supermarkets underperformance.
This also provides the suggestions for Coles to gain the profits at high level.
Article 10
Crozier, R. (2018). How Woolworths landed in “really bad shape” with sales
force.
Crozier, in this article has explained the activities which Woolworths has taken to
increase the internal capabilities within the workplace. This organization effectively uses the
sales force by center of excellence. This also presents the relationship with other organizations
that will be useful for business. It includes the appropriate relationship with the other
organizations such as Wipro that helped the business in many aspects. This article also includes
the effectiveness of strategy such as customer’s relationship management which is effective for

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
6
the business. Appropriate audiences for the article are employees, customers, and many other
people that like to know the importance of CRM strategy within the business to maintain the
profits, and competitive advantage.

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
7
Bibliography
Crozier, R. (2018). How Woolworths landed in “really bad shape” with salesforce. Retrieved
from: https://www.itnews.com.au/news/how-woolworths-landed-in-really-bad-shape-
with-salesforce-513627
Deutrom, R. (2019). Woolies launches massive frozen food sale. Retrieved from:
https://www.news-mail.com.au/news/woolies-is-launches-half-price-frozen-food-sale/
3670910/
Inside Retail. (2018). Coles has “lost its way”, as Woolworths extends lead. Retrieved from:
https://www.insideretail.com.au/news/coles-has-lost-its-way-as-woolworths-extends-
lead-201802
Janda, M. (2016). Woolworths supermarket struggle not over yet: UBS. Retrieved from:
https://www.afr.com/business/woolworths-what-went-wrong-at-the-supermarket-giant-
20150508-ggwuqp
Jones, S. (2015). Woolworths: where did it go wrong?. Retrieved from:
https://mumbrella.com.au/woolworths-where-did-it-go-wrong-308694
Mitchell, S. (2015). Woolworths- what went wrong at the supermarket giant. Retrieved from:
https://www.afr.com/business/woolworths-what-went-wrong-at-the-supermarket-giant-
20150508-ggwuqp
Mitchell, S. (2016). This is why Woolworths is in trouble. Retrieved from:
https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/this-is-why-woolworths-is-in-
trouble/news-story/558564355722533006f4c6f1c209fe18
Omarjee, L. (2017). Political uncertainty impacts Woolworths growth. Retrieved from:
https://www.fin24.com/Companies/Retail/political-uncertainty-impacts-woolworths-
growth-20170824

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
8
Rao, s., Eley., T., & Delibasic., S. (2018). Woolworths checkouts hit by national outage.
Retrieved from: https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/woolworths-checkouts-
hit-by-national-outage/news-story/5611943156249d4ecc6427ef0b447c18
Tay, L. (2010). How Woolworths made IT risk a business issue. Retrieved from:
https://www.itnews.com.au/news/how-woolworths-made-it-risk-a-business-issue-240080