In Store Communications

Customer Experience Map

To provide the best customer experience every element of the customer journey has been taken into consideration. It is essential that each point of the journey reiterates the key message that Joe's delivers great value for everything the family need and restores shopper trust in the store. See Customer Journey Map below.

Joe’s Customer Journey Map

In-store

This in-store marketing plan has been developed to address shopper needs and to executethe communications strategy. Several elements of shopper behaviourhave been selected toaddress within the marketing plan. This marketing strategy also has specifically chosen to omit certain elements including, addressing limited shopper focus, the deselection process and the more general purchase process (stop-hold-close). Theseelements have been strategically omitted as

they are not as integral to driving positive in-store experience. However, some elements of these additional behavioural principles may beimplemented through brand-retailer partnerships.

Addressing the Shopper Currency “stress”

Joe’s already operates as a discount retailer so the “money” aspect of the shoppercurrencies is alreadyone of thekey value offering to consumers (although promotional communications requires further optimisation). Additionally, for target segment they are more concerned about the overall value and quality –“price isn’t even that important”. The area of “time” is not desirable for Joe's to lessen drastically as it is strategic for retailers to slow customers down to drive larger basket spend. The primary element Joe’s needs to address is the area of “stress” surrounding the consumer shopping experience. Focusing on developing shopper-focused merchandising and instore communications will seek to eliminate consumer stress .

Time Money

Stress

Barrier “the store feels dirty, to be honest I don’t think it is but there is so little space to move I feel like it’s never been cleaned.” “everything I’m holding is either crying or melting”

Communications Objective Make shop easy to navigate & quickly Message Strategy Make your life easier & elevate your shopping into an “experience”

Make shopping convenient & deliverserviceas per target segment expectations The quality service you expect Execution Joe’s store will put ‘execution equities’ throughout the store. -Easy navigational signs -Consistent brand equity message -In-store assistance -Self-checkout counters

-Kid-friendly store -Toilet -Feedback Kiosk -Help-desk -Separate promotional aisle

Adapting In-Store Navigation to Build Brand equity

To eliminate stress and to construct a new, fresh brand image, Joe's will update signagewithin the store. Navigational signs are particularly important to reducing consumer stress while shopping. The signs will not only provide navigational assistance but will userecognizable brand equities to consistently build the new brand image. Use of the new brand colour: Persian blueand grey, font: Poiret One, and ‘ a farmer’ in the icon. Also, instore bright photography featuring Irish farmers & produce, encouraging low-carbon footprint lifestyle will assist in rebranding Joe’s as a fresh family store –“inspiring store to buy more”. The two photos below provide examples of how Joe’s can employ navigational signs, merchandising and in-store communications to provide a better customer experience and build brand equity.

In-Store Planogram

In addition to in-store navigation, the store layout will also be altered to be more consumerfriendly and to reduce stress. Using data from the logical adjacency research, productcategories will be strategically placed for best consumer experience.

Key highlights:

Kids-zone : Since kids influence$1.2 trillionof purchasing, so it makes sense to think about ways to serve the children whose parents are making those purchases (Publicis, 2012). By making Joe’s store kid-friendly as possible, we’ll improve your ability to appeal to their parents. By having a small table in a corner of your store filled with toys, crayons, paper and other appealing playthings. This lets parents browse without worrying about what their children are up to — or what they may be breaking (YEC, 2015).

Help-desk: The store experience will also be improved by setting up a customer help desk. It will be strategically placed to serve both customers entering and exiting the store –in front of kids-zone. Customers will benefit from having a clear place to go to ask questions prior to purchase or to address any issues post purchase which is essential to maintainrelationships with shoppers.

Info-board: Information board will show store-map layout and today’s dealsand offers. It will also promote and display their community engagement programs. It will also feature customers, local producers, farmers & showing eco-friendly measurestaken by Joe’s store. In order to deliver their brand equity message & add “goodness”.

Self-checkout: According B&A research insight on Irish Shopper Convenience Trends, self-checkout and contactless payment are the most desired feature for a convivence store after toilet (B&A, 2018) . Also, 56% said they would change stores if a better checkout experience was the primary differentiator. Especially, millennials and Gen X (our target audience) loves self-checkout as a feature, it can highly reduce the checkout time, & as well as reduce the labour cost (StaticBrain, 2017). Besides, shoppers can also validate their promotions with the self-checkoutsystems.

Toilet: Most desired feature for a Irish shopper in a convivence grocery store is: in-store toilet (B&A, 2018)

Separate promotional aisle: The promotional aisles can increase the convenience for shoppers and improve their overall shopping experience in a retail store(Wah, 2017).

Feedback Kiosk: It will help in getting feedback in real-time & improve Joe’s shopping experienceby listening to customers. It’s easy to setup, & in a long-term it can build advocacy& loyaltyfor Joe’s(Fleming, 2019).

Feedback Kiosk

Joe’s store layout

In-Store Promotions & Communications

All in-store communications will be made to be ‘on equity’ and will be strategically placed. As part of the rebrand, communication messages will be placed at the entrance of the store, exit of the store and in a few places in the store to reiterate target brand equity and eliminate shopper barriers. The plan promotes a consistent message and brand image throughout the shopper journey from shop approach to shop departure. The image below is an example of the Joe’s exit sign which reiterates the key message.

Barrier “If something is really messy that distinction with dirty becomes irrelevant”

Communications Objective Build awareness of the promotions that are clearly communicated Message Strategy Expect more. Pay Less. Satisfaction Guaranteed. Execution Givenbelow with well-defined shelf enhancements andclear understandable “claims” messaging‘on equity’

Promotion communication will be placed in information board at the entranceand in the walk up to the store as well on as at shelf. Promotional claims should “STOP and HOLD” along the path to purchase and clearly state what kind of deal being offer (eg. Buy 1 Get 1) rather than complicated ‘6 for the price of 4’ kind of deals. A simple understandable in-store promotion communications can increase the redemption rates(HBR, 2012).

Shelf Enhancements Execution

Side Wingers & Wobblers: Only one of the two will be used per time in the same shelf, according to the space available. They could be used both on ‘regular shelves’ as well as on the ones designated to promos only. Also, they can be also used as “Category Signifiers”. With the implicit brain constantly scanning for familiar brands/products, by highlighting these, the brands will see those and signify entry to the category the shopper is in (Barden, 2013).

Wobblers

Side winger

Headers will be mainly used as “Category Signifiers” in order to create a ‘conceptual’ area and increase consideration. This area won’t be given to brands for promotions, and will be strictly reserved as Joe’s designated area to categorize sections within the stores. Shoppers will be able to find a category location more easily in less time, leading to more sales (Barden, 2013).

Shelf Talkers & on-shelf promotions: It should be according to promotions mainly to enhance awareness.

At-shelf large sign mainly to enhance awareness against promotions

Promos/ Price stickers mainly to enhance awareness against discounted products. This tool is mostly used to stimulate impulsive purchases against the products that is going to expire soon.

Merchandising

Barrier “the store feels dirty, to be honest I don’t think it is but there is so little space to move I feel like it’s never been cleaned.”

Communications Objective To lessen consumer stress and deliver on the important consumer need for “convenience” Message Strategy

Experience the “feelgood” shopping Execution

To improve in-store navigation- - Brand-blocking - ‘Sign-post’ brands

To increase basket spend- -Logical Adjacencies -‘Eye-level’ focus

Use of Brand blocking to improve Consumer In-Store Experience

Market research indicates that consumers find Joe’s stores to be disorganised and frustrating to navigate. To lessen consumer stress and deliver on the important consumerneed for “convenience”, Joe's should implement vertical brand-blocking. Using vertical brandblocking helps consumers to find the items they are looking for more quickly. Vertical brand blocking also tends to slow down the consumer shopping journey allowing for greaterconsideration time.

Use‘sign-post brands’ for consumer store navigation

This marketing plan proposes that Joe's focus on using consumer identified ‘signpost’brands for thepurpose of in-store navigation. Using ‘signpost’ brands at consumer eye level drives greater sales across category as most consumers search for items by looking for ‘signpost’ brands. An example of a signpost brand would be “Coke”. In thisimage, Cokeis featured and has prime eye-level position which assists consumers to easilyfind the aeriated drinks.

Using logical adjacencies to increase basket spend

With the growing demand for consumer shopping convenience, using logical adjacencies inmerchandising can provide a better instore consumer experience. Finding products easily reduces consumer stress and leads to additional purchases. The image below is an example of providing consumers with logical adjacency, in this case, placing wipes and ‘Pampers’ diapers next to each other.

Using ‘eye-level’ to increase to increase basket spend

Products which are eye-level (or 15 degrees below) are easier to see and should therefore should sell more products. Category leaders or products that sell well with a high margin should can be alsoused atthese prime locations. It will be only used for category where there’s “no sign post” brand. Example, in case of fresh produce - vegetables and meats.

Maintaining Stock & Customer Service

Barrier “It would be great if it were easier to shop there. Price isn’t even that important when you consider that I don’t have to drive across town to Dunnes and the like.”

I’m not sure you get the promotion you see advertised.

I can’t always find everything I want but there is always something close enough.

Communications Objective Deliver excellent customer service bytraining staff to communicate value Message Strategy

For Joe’s the customer comes first

Rebuild trust with consumer to bring consumer back

To delivermore optimal products offeringsas per the demand We are so committed & confident in our promotions that we’ll pay a penalty if we get it wrong.

Whatever you’ve got in mind, we’ve got inside Execution

-Customer help-desk -Toilets -Kid-zone -Feedback Kiosk -Self-checkout

Through employees:

“our mistake, we’re double sorry –twice the € value of the promotion back to you”

By continuously re-stocking and only stock brand leader, one follower and/ or a local product

As explained in Joe's in-store layout plan, the store experience will also be improved by making "Joe's" kid-friendly, and by setting up a customer help desk, toilets and a feedback kiosk. With 'kids-zone' , customers can shop stress-free without worrying about their kids; they can spend more time at the store. Also, with help-desk strategically placed at the entrance and exit customers will benefit from having a clear place to go to ask questions before purchase or to address any issues post-purchase, which is essential to maintain relationships with shoppers. Toilets can help in paying more in-store stress-free shopping experience. And later they can give feedback after check-out on the feedback kiosk on the spot, can help in improving customer service. Additionally, self-checkout will help in reducing checkout stress & time, and also can be used to check promotional offers.

Kids Zone Feedback Kiosk

Self-checkout system

Employees play a huge part in the Joe’s shopper experience and representation of the Joe's brand equity. In order to provide excellent customer service and customer convenience, Joe's needs to implement staff training. Staff need to be up to date on products, product location within store and all promotions. They needto keep re-stocking shelves . By one stocking a brand leader, one follower and/ or a local product, Joe’s will be able to capitalise on the limited space he has in-store. Staff will also wear new aprons and name tags to match theoverall Joe's rebrand and to assist shoppers in clearly identifying staff for help.

Employee with re-branded colors & logo ‘on equity’

Organic 100% recycled cloth bag instead of plastic, which is ‘on equity’ for sustainability & promoting reusable bags

Total savings at the end of the receipt. It will also highlight all the promotions that has been applied.

Employees also have a crucial role in rebuilding trust with shoppers. The checkout experience will be adapted to emphasise promotional accuracy and transparency. Secondly, the receipts will be changed to include a specific section listing savings from promotions and total savings listed at the bottom. Thirdly, employees can also give customers optional free sign-up for Joe's reward programme.