While much of the debate in recent months has been around the importance of retail technology, operators need to ensure that they don't overlook the impact of frontline employees, writes Liam O'Meara, VP of Europe for Axonify.
Like retailers worldwide, European grocery stores have been impacted by changing consumer behaviours brought by the pandemic. With lockdowns in effect since last spring, online sales have boomed, as the pandemic undoubtedly changed grocery consumer habits.
But whilst the impact of these changes will continue to be felt, the re-opening of the HoReCa trade will definitely mean grocers have some work to do. To entice consumers back with a great customer experience, grocers are looking to technology to streamline the shopping trip, but are they forgetting to shine a light on the impact of the frontline employees?
Shifts In Behaviour Spurring Long-Term Changes
As customers become used to new behaviours, such as ordering groceries online or using a new detergent brand when their preferred one wasn't available, they are more likely to continue in that vein.
One survey found that during the pandemic, 15% of consumers in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom shopped online for groceries using a site that was new to them. Additionally, 50% of those consumers plan to continue shopping on those sites.
The change to online shopping also means changes to the physical grocery store. Stores are reconfiguring to create space for groceries ordered online and picked up curbside. Others are reducing their sizes or adding additional conveniences, such as hair salons and nail bars.
Many are also focusing on technology to help make customers’ trips smoother, such as using contactless payment or click and collect. These are all good moves that focus on efficiencies and reducing costs, as well as increasing profits. But these efforts must also take into account how employees impact their success or failure.
Employee Experience Tied To Customer Experience
Grocers may focus on keeping customers happy, but the way to do that is to keep employees happy. Research shows that happy, engaged employees treat customers well, resulting in happy customers. For example:
- Companies that offer exceptional customer experience have 1.5 times more engaged employees
- Some 79% of employees working at companies with above-average customer experience are also highly engaged in their jobs
- Employees who are actively engaged are 43% more productive
- Engaged employees have less absenteeism and higher retention
Frontline grocery employees may be looked at as a necessary cost, but they are integral to the changes grocers are implementing. Take online ordering and pickup, for example. A customer using a grocer’s website has very little personal interaction with store employees.
That gives a grocer fewer options to establish a human connection with the customer. The person who does that is the frontline employee who fulfils the order and delivers it to the consumer at the pickup location.
Keep in mind that the employee has likely shifted their responsibilities, just as the store has adjusted functions. While they may have initially operated the checkout till, they may have needed to switch to filling grocery orders or delivering them to customers.
Ensuring the employee has the skills and training to do this is always essential. Now that this may be one of the few touchpoints a store has with its online customer, it is even more critical that this interaction is positive.
Managers may assume employees don't need training for upskilling or cross-skilling responsibilities, but that's not true. Employees need to understand the big picture (we want to provide excellent service, so customers come back) as well as specifics (for example: here’s what you should do if an online customer’s item is out of stock).
Training Lags For Frontline Grocery Employees
Axonify’s global report, The State of Frontline Employee Training 2020, found that only 48% of frontline employees said they received training when taking on a new role or task. Only 50% of frontline grocery employees receive training regularly.
Employees want to learn so they can excel in their jobs. Some 45% said they would like more online training. As grocers increase the technology to improve customer satisfaction, they must make sure their employees get training to maximise the technology.
In many countries in Europe, employees anticipate working in their grocery store position long-term. It’s not a summer job: it’s a career. Grocers can benefit by retaining employees and ensuring they have the needed skills and knowledge to excel in their jobs. With this investment in training, grocers can give employees the tools to positively impact their jobs, the customers, and the business.
© 2021 European Supermarket Magazine. Article by Liam O'Meara, Axonify. For more Retail news, click here. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
