Our store in St Matthews Quarter, Walsall, opened in June 2007, so we have just completed our first Christmas trading period. I was really pleased with our performance, especially the great effort put in by our new colleagues, who had never experienced an Asda Christmas.

January marks the beginning of our financial year and a strong start is crucial. Last week, I attended the Asda Year Beginning Meeting in Birmingham, where all senior managers get together to hear from the executive board, celebrate last year’s successes and set targets and strategies for this year. This is cascaded through the business, so everyone understands the objectives and what we each have to deliver in order to achieve them.

At the store, I spend time with my managers and team leaders. I think it’s important to ensure they are aware of how they are performing and get a chance to discuss their career aspirations.

At the beginning of December, our store launched home shopping, which has really taken off. There is no doubt that the development of Walsall town centre and the heavy roadworks makes this an attractive option. I went out in one of our vans recently and it was a valuable experience for gaining feedback from customers – especially from those who were delighted they now have access to an Asda without having to battle traffic.

In a retail environment, time passes quickly, so it’s no surprise that last weekend we merchandised not only St Valentine’s Day lines, but also Easter eggs. We really are well into the new year.

Store manager’s diary by JONATHAN CLEMENTS, ASDA, WALSALL