The former Morrisons chief executive has already been looking at Asda through the eyes of ordinary customers. His biggest challenge now is to turn those observations into lasting improvements across the business.
There is something revealing about a supermarket chief executive walking into his own stores without announcing who he is. Without the usual management presentations, carefully prepared visits or polished explanations from senior colleagues, the experience can be very different. Shelves tell their own story, queues cannot be hidden and customers rarely hesitate to express their frustrations.
That is precisely the approach David Potts has reportedly taken since becoming Asda’s new chief executive.
The former Morrisons boss has been visiting Asda stores incognito, examining the shopping experience and assessing the condition of the business from the perspective of the people who ultimately determine its success: the shoppers.
His appointment, announced on 3 November, comes at a particularly important moment for Britain’s third-largest supermarket. Asda has spent considerable time trying to restore its competitive position, but improvements in pricing alone have not been enough to guarantee a consistent customer experience.
The problems are often found on the shop floor
Potts appears to understand that supermarket recovery does not begin in the boardroom. It begins with the basics.
Customers want to find the products they came to buy. They expect fresh departments to look attractive, shelves to be replenished and prices to be clearly displayed. They also want stores that are clean, organised and easy to navigate.
These expectations may sound straightforward, but delivering them consistently across a large supermarket estate is an enormous operational undertaking.
A supermarket can advertise attractive prices, but if customers repeatedly encounter empty shelves or poorly maintained departments, the promotional message quickly loses its credibility.
Potts has promised improvements to the shopping experience week by week. That is an important commitment because shoppers judge supermarkets through repeated visits rather than corporate announcements.
Experience is valuable, but execution matters more
Potts brings considerable experience from Tesco and his eight years leading Morrisons. He knows the mechanics of grocery retailing, the importance of supplier relationships and the operational discipline required to run large stores.
However, Asda is not Morrisons, and the circumstances facing the business are different.
The retailer must rebuild customer confidence while managing intense competition, financial pressures and the need to invest in its stores. It must also protect its reputation for value without allowing the pursuit of lower prices to undermine the quality of the shopping experience.
This is where the real test begins. Potts cannot personally inspect every store, every department or every delivery. He needs managers and colleagues who understand what is expected and have the tools to deliver it.
Can Asda rediscover its identity?
Asda built its reputation on making family shopping affordable. That identity remains valuable, but today’s consumers expect more than a competitive price ticket.
They want availability, quality, convenience and confidence that their weekly shopping will be worth the journey.
Potts may have discovered plenty during his mystery shopping visits. The challenge is to make sure the problems he has seen are addressed throughout the organisation.
For ISN, the question is not simply whether David Potts can improve Asda’s stores. It is whether he can restore the consistency that makes customers choose one supermarket over another.
A successful turnaround will not be measured by how many stores the new chief executive visits in disguise. It will be measured by how many shoppers notice a difference when they return.