editor’s note by Jim Dudlicek
Power of the People
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n this new age of shopper engagement, it’s the people that can make or break your operation, so it’s worth your time and efort to select the right ones. Tat was one of the overarching themes to come out of Progressive Grocer’s frst-ever Grocerant Summit last month, an exclusive two-day conference of retailers and suppliers focused on driving growth in supermarket foodservice. Te in-store experience is key to keeping satisfed consumers coming back again and again, and a well-schooled staf will set the tone. “Hire for attitude, train for skill” was the advice of Janet Hofmann, principal of HR Aligned Design, who stressed the importance of investing in a customer service-savvy workforce. It costs more to hire and retrain grocery talent that to retain it, Hofman noted, so stafng retention begins with great hiring decisions and continues with proper training, feedback, reinforcement and reward. Hofmann recommended looking to the hospitality industry — namely, full-service restaurants outside the grocery sector — to recruit a serviceoriented foodservice staf. On the fip side, a major failure with the fresh prepared shopping experience is stafng, specifcally what associates are doing and how they’re trained. Eric Le Blanc, VP of marketing, deli at Tyson Foods, in his presentation, “Te Consequences of Failure,” cited statistics showing that 41 percent of shoppers reported problems with their prepared food shopping experience in the past 90 days, and more than half of them used that as a reason to stop shopping at a particular store for at least a while. “Grocery competition is too intense for us to shrug of shopper disappointments,” Le Blanc declared. Strong leadership is therefore essential, and nothing brings a high level of culinary integrity to a banner like a corporate chef, according to a panel of retail chefs that included Jacki Novotny of Heinen’s, Deanna Stephens of Southeastern Grocers, and Charlie Baggs, who runs his own culinary innovations frm. And while some companies have looked to partnerships with celebrity chefs to lend gravitas to their foodservice oferings, Baggs suggested that with the right promotion and shopper interface, a banner’s own top chef could become a star. Te panelists asserted that retail foodservice needs the same level of detail and attention that restaurants receive. Such well-oiled teams would be in a great position to lead the grocerant movement. As noted by Penny Anderson of Te NPD Group, Millennials
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| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | November 2015
With well-trained staff, attention to service and detail, and visually exciting presentations, grocerants can inspire shoppers and bring lift to the entire store. and families with children have driven restaurant declines; fast-casuals are leading in overall customer satisfaction, prompting other operators to up their games. Grocers have an opportunity with consumers who eat at home to save money, Anderson said, but must compete with other emerging channels, including “food-forward” c-stores geared toward convenience. She therefore recommended that grocers strive for the trifecta of customization, craveability and experience. Tat, in turn, will help grocers connect with consumers through a deeper understanding of mealtime, which is quality time that creates an emotional family anchor. Christopher Brace, CEO of Shopper Intelligence, in exploring shoppers’ emotional connection to “Dinner in America,” asserted that retailers must communicate with shoppers by understanding the emotional triggers behind their shopping and consumption behavior. Chef Steven Petusevsky, speaking on “Forging Your Culinary Path,” noted that a good grocerant program “can make all the diference for a supermarket.” With enthusiastic culinary-minded leaders, well-trained staf, attention to service and detail, and actionable insights on consumers’ relationship with food, grocery retailers can make foodservice a repeat destination for shoppers. And with delectable and visually exciting presentations, grocerants can inspire shoppers and bring lift to the entire store. PG Jim Dudlicek Editor-in-Chief jdudlicek@stagnitomail.com Twitter @jimdudlicek