Andrew - GSM General Store Manager

I joined Asda back in 2007 after finishing school and moving to university. It was a part-time job for some spending money. Through my university degree I would have worked a number of extra hours because I enjoyed the retail and working with customers and colleagues. My Store manager discussed the opportunity to go onto development and I didn't look back. What keeps me here today is still the love of retail and getting to work with customers and colleagues daily.

Typical day would be coming in to store for 7am and spending the first 2 hours of my shift walking the customer path and walking my whole store and talking to my colleagues and managers about the plan for the day. Then I would go and review results from the previous day and celebrate to make a plan to improve with my team. I still huddle my team frequently as I find they like to hear how the store is doing and what my main actions are. Then I would spend a chunk of my day on the floor with my team coaching and supporting them throughout the day. This also always me to review customer availability and take action on this. There will be days you have returns to do and need to spend time in the office usually a Monday but most days its back to the shop floor again which I enjoy and your team enjoys you being down helping.

It's all about that friendly service and nothing is too much trouble. We make sure we walk our customer path and review customer availability. We talk daily about this and have seen our CSI increase.

I started Asda In September 2007 as a Home and Leisure colleague. In January 2013 I stepped up to be a Home and Leisure Team Leader in the Larne store. I then moved to a larger Home and leisure department at the back end of 2014 in the Ballyclare store. 

My first management role came in 2015, and it was Process and Admin manager. In 2016 I got the opportunity to join the ignite team working across the region landing new processes. I didn't enjoy that role too much as it was too slow paced for me and I went back into Ballyclare as Online grocery manager in 2017. 

In 2018 I became deputy store manager in Downpatrick and then onto a large store Portadown as the Deputy at the start of 2020. 

I got my first store manager shop in 2022 at Asda Living Belfast and moved onto Newtownards in 2024. 

My first GSM role came in Middle of 2025 at Strabane store and I'm now in Larne store from Middle of 2026.

Asda have given me the tools, programmes, encouragement and mentors to succeed and continue to develop and grow. I always dreamed on being a store manager and Asda supported this. I've learnt that you can achieve whatever you want to as long as you put the work in to get there, but your never alone along the way.

My personal proudest achievement was, reaching my goal of becoming a Store Manager and being able to say this is my shop. Bringing my wife and kids to that shop was a huge proud moment for me.

A few things 

• the buzz of retail
• How Asda does things differently with some fun included 
• the colleagues we are all one team, and you really feel that in the stores I've worked in.

It's one of the best and rewarding jobs but you need to put in the hard work. Asda will provide you the tools and support to go as far as you want. Also, bring your team on the journey with you. Listen to your team and always go back to them if you don't know the answer and don't change your personality.