Everyone blames Walmart's for everything. They weren't even around when I started. P&G had a very bad reputation with store accounts way back when, which I found out it had to do with P&G business ethics. I worked in one account (large chain) that one store refused to have any P&G on it's shelf. If product was on the shelf, the label was removed and rest of the set was doubled or tripled faced to fill shelf. Got the store restablished w/our products and things got better.
I, like many of you, worked as a P&G rep on set along side 3rd party for big sets. The ones I worked with in front of me cut out or cut down facings of P&G items to make plano's fit. The store lead ok'd the changes, until (most of the time) I mentioned P&G is paying for the store reset, and said the items are going back in and we'll work on cutting out other items. They didn't care which ones because they have no product loyalty, I was told on many times it's alway P&G they cut out.
Yes Walmart, as P&G jumped on that cash cow and put all their eggs in that basket for sales/profit, P&G stopped giving attention/concern to the other accounts. And started giving those accounts to third party if any as some just went to the wayside with no representation.
In Walmart, yes everything was great at first, then Walmart started having their own issues. Most DM's have more than one department so their attention is just getting their own work done for corporate, nevermind mod's or stocking. As those are now left to overnight shift or DM's who take a week overnight to get their mod's done.
When we're in Walmart's and company/product specific, we could get those oos filled or issues corrected, where DM's or associates are trying to get every companies issued and product out and they just don't have the time to do it all.
P&G Corporate has to take a huge step back and look at itself before blaming others ie: the economy, customer loyalty to brand, ect.
They can't keep using their coupons as band aids
P&G's issues are in corporate office's not out here in the real world.
Also if your middle - upper management and get let go, generally there is a package deal - nothing great, I'm sure but it's better than calling into a scheduled conference and hearing Thank You for Hard Work and Dedication to P&G, you all are being phased out and ending with Thank You for calling into the conference today.
P&G's motto - Start out sweet - put all the dirt in the middle - and end with a cherry on top