Taking on the Customer Service Challenge - and Winning!

In the CPG industry, one of the most important factors when it comes to influencing sales is your customer service - this is a no-brainer. Usually the two go hand-in-hand. So, knowing this, how can you up your customer service game?

Check out this great article from Canadian Grocer, filled with some interesting insight about customer service in the CPG industry and how to take on the customer service challenge and win!

Some food for thought: according to the article, the annual American Express Canadian Retail Insights Report revealed that 82% of retailers in the restaurant, fast food, grocery, gas and general retail sectors cited better customer service experiences as the reason for a jump in sales. In the grocery sector specifically, 87% of businesses surveyed are investing in improving customer service in 2015, a 21% increase from 2014!

You can check out the full article here: http://www.canadiangrocer.com/blog/three-ways-to-up-your-customer-service-game-57547.

Some highlights and tips from the article:

-      Great customer service can help differentiate you from your competitors, but since most retailers are aware of this fact, almost all are working to differentiate themselves. Therefore, you need to be prepared for more competition. Your team members need to be well versed and aware of their role in the customer service game.

-       Loyalty is important - so be creative when trying to obtain it. According to the article, 82% of grocers are working to improve loyalty by leveraging sales, promotions and discounts and 74% plan to develop more product offerings or services to bring in consumers - up 15% from 2014.

-       Don’t drop everything for online. Although e-commerce has taken over several industries, it doesn’t seem to have permeated the grocery industry yet, so make sure to balance out your strategy when choosing channels. Using technology to improve your business is a great idea, whereas relying on it may not be as beneficial.

We are heading into the last quarter of 2015, and that usually means a significant push to get things ironed out for the year and ready for what lies ahead. Upping your customer service game is never a bad idea and now is the time to do it!

Need some ideas or help getting those levels of satisfaction up? Storesupport can help. Call us today at 905.847.6513.

The Online vs. Bricks and Mortar Debate: Where do Smaller Stores Stand?

In the retail world, online shopping and bricks and mortar shopping are usually viewed as diametrically opposed - an either/or proposition. And with this perception comes the often accepted myth that online is slowly but surely taking over. However, it is far more complicated than that, the myth largely based on assumption rather than fact.

A recent survey for UPS on how large a role mobile plays followed that same assumption - that shoppers preferred online shopping. The survey did find that that role is significant - and consumers want more advanced features, flexible shipping options, and hassle-free returns.

That being said, the survey findings said far more than that. Although mobile is growing, bricks and mortar stores have not lost their importance.

It seems as though the relationship is far more intertwined. Both online and bricks and mortar benefit from one another: “When purchasing online from a retailer that also has a physical store, 39% of consumers who make returns prefer to ship the product back while the overwhelming majority – 61% – prefer to return the item to the store. When they go to the store to make that return, 70% said they purchase an additional item.”

You can read more about the report here: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/online-shoppers-not-even-close-to-abandoning-brick-and-mortar-060415.html.

Add to this fact that some previously online-only stores are opening up physical locations and the complexities are even more visible.

Great, so major retailers are still holding their own against the online onslaught - evidently online shopping isn’t taking over as some believe. But where do smaller stores stand? Are mom and pop shops getting wiped out?

Again, the same seems to be true for mom and pop shops - they have not lost their relevance. Although facing more competition thanks to the growth of online shopping, consumers loyal to these stores remain so. It does mean that your strategy needs to meet this competition head-on, with marketing and merchandising methods that can help beat it.

For brands specifically there are other implications. If located in a mom and pop shop, or really any bricks and mortar location, you need to be sure that you are meeting the needs of your customers on a consistent basis, and retail audits can help you better determine what is working, what is not, and how to implement a plan to fix any issues.

Whether you are a smaller retailer dealing with online competition or a brand located at retail, Storesupport has the tools to help you succeed. Call us today at 1-877-421-5081.

The Retail Landscape: Are Traditional Merchandising Methods Still Effective?

With the many changes facing the CPG industry, it can be difficult to determine which merchandising methods are still viable options for garnering sales. Many retailers and brands alike are constantly asking themselves “Are traditional merchandising methods still effective?”

Here is our take on some of the top traditional merchandising methods that are still being used on a regular basis by most retailers: flyers, experiential marketing, and the checkout line.

Flyers - getting them into the store. While many stores feel as though flyers are a big cost that hopefully can be replaced by digital, many consumers, especially in the CPG sector, are still using them. According to the Globe and Mail, many consumers “like paper flyers because they can carry them around, circle deals and easily access them for price-matching at competing retailers.” That being said, flyers are not as effective for all retailers. The same Globe and Mail article noted that a test done by Sport Chek, meant to determine if a digital focus was more effective, determined that for them flyers were not where the money was. You can check out the full article here: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/marketing/digital-ads-may-be-the-future-but-consumers-remain-loyal-to-paper-flyers/article18924774/.

Experiential merchandising - try before they buy. These campaigns have been sprouting up with extreme frequency across North America, and for good reason. But do they work? Well, let’s look at Red Bull as a perfect example. Their 2012 Stratos Jump campaign racked up 52 million view worldwide, and in the 6 months following the campaign, U.S. sales increased 7% to $1.6 billion, and the company sold 5.3 billion cans worldwide in 2013 - up from 5.2 billion in 2012. Other campaigns have also benefited from the impacts - but it needs to be done right. Pulling on consumer emotions, catering to the right target market, etc., all require work - so to get the best results, make sure you devote the time and resources.

The checkout line - your last chance for a sale. This is usually the point when you often have the attention of the shopper, more than at any point in the store, because they are standing and waiting. 

Traditional marketing with displays used to get people thinking about that last-minute spontaneous purchase, but do they still have the same effect? According to a recent study done by Time Warner Retail Sales & Marketing, the checkout line is often an afterthought for consumers, but shouldn’t be for grocers. Why? Because checkout line sales represent 1% of total grocery sales - and up to 10% of consumers will make a purchase in the checkout line. That is pretty impressive for a relatively small category.

When it comes to CPG sales, many traditional merchandising methods still hold value - and making the switch and phasing them out may not actually work in your best interest.

Want to know more about these traditional merchandising methods and how to implement them to create a campaign that yields real results? Storesupport has you covered. Call us today at 1-877-421-5081.

The New Shopping Journey: How Consumer Behaviour is Changing

In the retail industry, no matter the sector, understanding customer behaviour is a constant challenge that both retailers and brands struggle with on a regular basis. Knowing how to target, when to target, catering to the right person at the right time - these are all points of differential that can make or break a sale.

Over the last few years, consumer spending and consumer behaviour have changed dramatically.

Check out this great infographic from Chicago based firm IRI, The New Shopping Journey.

Here are some highlights on how and where money is spent:

-       75% of shoppers rely heavily on their mobile devices when shopping, both beforehand and during the shopping journey.

-       60% of shoppers are looking for private label brands.

-       Shoppers are visiting fewer stores, choosing to shop at the ones they believe offer the most value.

At Storesupport, we can help you best determine the course of action that means maximum efficiency, cashing in on consumer behaviour trends. Call us today at 1-877-421-5081.

How Are You Earning Customer Loyalty?

Earning customer loyalty, for retailers, is a constant struggle. Knowing who to target, and when, is a challenge - one that can make or break your bottom line. This is why it always helps to have someone in your corner offering timeless and trending advice.

Today we are taking on that roll and sharing this great article we found regarding earning customer loyalty, “25 Tips for Earning Customer Loyalty” from Entrepreneur. Check it out here: 

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/245365.

Key takeaways:

-          Share your core values

-          Provide excellent service and exceed customer expectations

-          Always be transparent and admit when a mistake has been made

-          Create a sense of community with your customers

-          Don’t neglect existing customers

-          Offer incentives

-          Ask for feedback and act on that feedback

-          Always be reliable

-          Anticipate problems before they become problems

-          When problems are identified, fix them

-          Be flexible

-          Communicate

Customer loyalty has to be earned - we all know that - but there are some tried and true methods to do so. These tips draw on traditional methods and incorporate the latest trends, achieving maximum effect.

If you want more tips on earning customer loyalty, Storesupport has the toolset to help. Call us today at 1-877-421-5081.

Is CPG Dying in Canada? How to do Rightsizing the Right Way

Change is a constant factor in the retail landscape, and adapting to change is a critical component of any brand or retailer’s strategy. It seems as though many companies are making the move to smaller locations, downsizing and putting emphasis on online sales. This trend to downsize has had many impacts - not least of which is the continued competition, impact on brand loyalty and the impact on employees (lots of people are finding their jobs being downsized as well).

Canadian Grocer recently weighed in on the online grocery trend with their article “Get ready for online grocery’s rise.” According to the article, “Of Canada’s vast supermarket sales, only a drop in the bucket are online. Nevertheless, grocers and CPGs should start to plan their e-commerce strategy now or else get left behind as consumers start to fill their pantry from their computers and smartphones.”

Furthermore, according to Keith Anderson, vice-president of strategy and insight at Profitero, “By 2018, three per cent of CPG sales in Canada could be online, up from the current estimates of 0.5 to one per cent.” That is a major mark up!

Check out the full article here: http://www.canadiangrocer.com/top-stories/get-ready-for-online-grocerys-rise-in-canada-54240.

So what does this mean for retailers across the nation? Well, with the downsizing trend often comes lost loyalty, so you absolutely need to be sure that you are rightsizing!

What does rightsizing mean? Whether you are downsizing or upsizing (yes, while the trend seems to be downsizing, many other stores are upping their square footage rather than reducing it), if you do it correctly, you are rightsizing. This means keeping customer service levels high and staying on top of empty or messy shelves and employee to customer ratios.

Is CPG dying in Canada? Of course not. It is just changing. Chances are we won’t see the demise in our lifetime - we can always keep our fingers crossed just for good measure - but that doesn’t mean that we can keep doing things the way we’ve always done them.

The old saying adapt or die may not necessarily apply here, but when it comes to rightsizing, you always need to keep an eye on strategy.

For more about retail downsizing, upsizing, or as we like to call it, rightsizing, please call Storesupport today at 1-877-421-5081.

Going Digital…Are You Targeting Through Digital

Over the last few years, digital has become the trend in retail. Keeping in touch with consumers, engaging them and motivating them to purchase has become far easier when digital is embraced. So, have you gone digital? Are you targeting your customers through digital?

Here are the top 3 digital trends sweeping the retail industry in 2015:

Social media. Social media continues to be a major player in the retail game. Before social media, people used the internet primarily to research products and compare prices. However, although that remains an important part of digital, far more is now done online, specifically when it comes to social networks and reputation. 10 years ago, not having a website was common. 5 years ago, many companies still had not jumped on the social media bandwagon. In 2015, both of these are gone the way of the horse and carriage - a few hangers-on still try to stick with tradition but it is becoming harder and harder. Now, people head online not just to research price, but to read reviews, get recommendations, find out what others in their networks are saying about different companies. Ignoring this fact can be detrimental - social media definitely needs to be embraced.

Marketing through email. Being asked for your email address at the register has become commonplace, and for good reason. Marketers are celebrating the value of email marketing for retail in a big way. It is a great way to keep customers informed, and especially when they are provided with something of value, is a great way to get them into the store. Just make sure to balance out the promo and don’t be sending daily emails - too much and that unsubscribe button will be getting a work out. Keep emails short and sweet - weekly deals, promos, etc. are a great way to keep customers connected with your brand or retail location.

Digital signage and interactive retail displays. Customer engagement offline is becoming just as important as online, and it too has gone digital. Digital signage and interactive displays are a great way to grab attention and get customers talking. This is especially popular with newer products or brands. Create an emotional connection, draw on seasonal tradition, anything that will make a customer stop and think is a worthy addition on the retail floor.

No matter the industry, going digital is now a necessity, and with CPG it is no different. Are you taking advantage?

For more about going digital in the retail arena, please call Storesupport today at 1-877-421-5081.