Claire Anderson helps SN Greg Lyle at the newly renovated checkout counter. The checkout counter was an idea brought about by the annual customer service survey. USNA photo by MCSN Michael L. Croft.

When NEX general manager Wyatt Hill came to Annapolis in June 2006, his first task was to make the Navy Exchange a better place to shop. He asked the customers what they wanted through a customer satisfaction survey, something NEX stores throughout the Navy do annually.

''We put out surveys because this is the military family store and we care about what they think,'' said Hill. ''This store belongs to all the service members who shop here. We have an idea of what needs to be done but it’s the customer’s opinion that always counts.''

Recent improvements include a new cashier counter and checkout procedure, new carpet throughout the entire store, and a new roof over the Garden Center.

''We decided to change the way you check out in the store because the surveys showed that people wanted a faster check out,'' said Hill. ''For the size of our store, studies have shown a single-line customer service desk with multiple registers is a lot quicker than single line checkout stands that you see everywhere else.''

Hill said customers had problems getting up and down aisles and in-between clothing racks. The single-line customer service desk added more room to the sales floor, allowing the NEX to expand the aisles and put more merchandise on the floor.

''Before we rearranged all the aisles we decided to lay down all new carpet and paint the entire store,'' said Hill. ''The carpet was old and peeling up in some places. It looked bad and was a potential safety hazard. It had to be fixed.''

Hill said the renovation process is always ongoing. The next project in the lineup is a remodeled gas station, replacing the current pumps with new ones, including biodiesel.

''The Navy Exchange is here to serve you,'' said Hill. ''Our main goals as a company are to provide quality goods and services and support quality of life.”

For more information on the Navy Exchange see the Web at www.navy-nex.com.