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Executive Overview
CompUSA is the largest retailer and reseller of personal computer-related products and services in the United States, and with 1998 revenues of $5.8 billion, has the highest sales per square foot of store floor space in the entire retail industry. Founded in 1984 in Dallas as Soft Warehouse, a direct seller to business customers, the firm opened its first retail superstore in 1985. The company's mission is to market goods and services at the best value to help customers manage information to improve personal and organizational life.
CompUSA currently operates 210 computer superstores in 79 major metropolitan markets across the United States that serve retail corporate, government, and education customers, and has 20,000 team members. The company also maintains technical service departments and classroom training facilities, and has its own build-to-order personal computer series, CompUSA PC. In 1998, CompUSA acquired Tandy Corporation's subsidiary, Computer City, and in 1999 launched a major online product and sales training and certification program for all of its retail team members to enhance customer service and sales.
James Halpin joined CompUSA in 1993 as president and COO, and became CEO later that year. Previously he had been president of HomeBase, president of BJ's Wholesale Club, executive vice-president of Waban, Inc., and vice-president and senior merchandising manager of Zayre Corporation. He serves on the boards of Lowe's Companies, Inc., Interphase Corporation, and Toy Biz, Inc., and is on the governing board of Junior Achievement in Dallas. Mr. Halpin has spent his entire career in the retail industry, starting as a warehouse worker after high school graduation. He bases much of his managerial philosophy about rewards, commitment, and organizational culture on insights he gained from his early experiences in nonmanagerial positions.
CompUSA achieved $5.8 billion in sales in 1998, up from $1.7 billion in 1993. To what do you attribute such remarkable growth?
It's our culture. McKinsey & Company do consulting for us, and they say they've never seen a culture like ours. Companies win or lose based on the culture they create. Ours is a cross between a college fraternity and a military boot camp. We have a lot of fun, but it's highly disciplined. You can do just about anything in our company-except lie. If you...