Let’s be honest, engaging with your customer today is easier than ever before. Yet, we all seem to be overwhelmed with how to build customer relationships. Grocery shoppers still like brick and mortar stores, but more than ever they want an experience. How good that experience is, drives their loyalty. Defining loyalty in the grocery business is having customers repeat business.
Research is clear that grocery shoppers still desire an in-store shopping experience. But that experience is going to have technology at the hub. So how can technology drive the customer relationship?
• Loyalty / Rewards Program – These programs track and incentivize purchasing behavior and engagement, ultimately rewarding customers in different ways for their repeat business. Incorporating customer touchpoints across all channels is critical to success. This seamless approach for the customer develops touchpoints at a personal level.
• Digital Offers – Having a digital offer strategy is also key to building relationships. One way is through digital coupons. They include national, AWG specific and private brands. Customers can clip these offers in convenient ways using retailer’s websites and apps. With an average of 300 digital coupons, there is something for every customer.
• Personalization – Must be a core pillar across the entire shopping journey. Customers understand and expect that participating in a store’s loyalty and rewards program is allowing their grocer to collect data on them. What they want in return is relevant offers based on their shopper data. Using personalized ads, specific digital coupons, recipes, and health and wellness information that is sent to them builds customer loyalty.
• Digital Engagement – We have to consider that the days of punch cards and key ring fobs are out if we are trying to reach Millennials and Gen Z customers. So give them an app, or better yet, just let them give you their phone number. You have all ages of shoppers. A seamless integrated digital platform allows your customers to connect to you in the ways they want. To include website, app, in-store kiosk, email and social media.
Customers’ shopping behavior is continuously changing and there is fierce competition for shopper loyalty. Most grocers carry the same products from the same brands, leaving customers with multiple choices when deciding where to shop. When customers can find the products they want almost anywhere, how can a grocer differentiate? Customers are more loyal to the overall shopping experience, not the products themselves.
NEXT STEPS
Contact Chris Higgs for more information.
