Even though in our supermarket sector, and speaking only and exclusively in business language, the records of growth and results have been very positive. We cannot try to cover the sun with a finger. In the face of this changing situation, we must be aware that we have lost thousands of customers who have become loyal to our competitors.
We must definitely take the lead and act although our sales have increased considerably. Believe it or not, some of our regular customers have stopped visiting us.
With these 5 tips, I assure you that we will be able to “ignite” the lost customer’s passion so that he/she returns to our stores.
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- Update the aisles and displays of the stores. Creating a space with a specific environment where our customers feel more relaxed and confident in their purchase. We will review the entire environment itself, from the placement of products in the aisles to the lighting, ambient music, signage, and even unique scents for each area of the supermarket they visit. The objective is that the customer receives the direct impact of having entered our store. Only and exclusively in our chain will they be able to find this practical and intelligent shopping experience.
- “Take Out Food.” We must have an area entirely dedicated to take-out food in these times. If we don’t have it yet, we will generate substantial additional customer traffic by activating it. It is also exciting to see how some of our Hispanic retailers have implemented very different take-out models, themed around fresh produce sections such as prepared meats next to the butcher shop, cooked fish dishes next to the traditional fishmongers, baked goods in the bakery.
- Value-added products. When customers visit our stores, they always expect to find something in addition to our basic assortment. Even more so now that the increase in household consumption has risen massively, it is necessary to introduce products that impact and excite our customers, accompanied by a good presentation in furniture and lighting.
- Update the furniture. Not all areas fit the same type of supermarket furniture. Each of them must be adapted to display the right product. For example, the wine cellar should always be shown with a plus such as wooden furniture and displays of lying bottles and original “vintage” boxes. Given the new era of consumption in which we find ourselves, we will also make great use of circular modules or “traffic breakers” in the aisle gondolas to present the products from their own display furniture.
- “Focus Group” with our customers. As the last point, direct contact with the customer is vital in our mission to maintain customer loyalty and recover those we have lost. We will not have achieved anything with the previous tips if we do not feel the temperature of these changes directly with them. In this situation where, for health safety reasons, we are very limited in stores when it comes to offering product trials, it will be essential to call on customers to inform them of new products and personalized promotions in consumer groups. To do this, we must have a central database and know our customers inside out, although we Hispanic retailers are specialists in this area.
Undoubtedly, the differentiating, transforming, and innovative effect that we inject into our stores will make the big difference vs. the competition, maintaining our customers’ loyalty and recovering those that, for some reason or another, we lost in the past.