Wal-Mart incurs its share of criticism over labor policies and sweat-shop imports, but it’s usually pretty savvy about relating to its customers. So, it was shocking to see the insensitivity shown by the retail giant in its Hernando County supercenter.
According to the manager, a recent major remodeling project just wouldn’t be able to accommodate its 6-year-old “Wall of Honor.” The one in the front of the store that was started by Wal-Mart employees. The one that was a photo tribute to locals in the military.
Did Wal-Mart never hear of marketing and public relations, let alone a show of patriotism and gratitude? The U.S. is at war, Americans are serving and dying, and Hernando’s population (171,000) is 15 percent military veterans.
There’s insensitive and there’s clueless. And then there’s just plain stupid.
But the good news is that local reaction has forced Wal-Mart to relent – and incorporate the “Wall of Honor” into its redesign scheme. It was a rare Wal-Mart acknowledgement – sans public apology or any kind of formal comment — of a corporate misstep.
But the “Wall of Honor” speaks for itself.