How did 2018 shape up for the P&C industry? Convenience World asked key figures to reflect on the past year. This week: United Convenience Buyers CEO Darren Park (right).
I remember heading into 2018 with the noise of disruption all around. Amazon had just launched, spelling potential trouble for retailers.
Nevertheless, we had our plans in place for 2018 and 2019, and we continue to execute them as best as we can. Execution has never changed: it’s a constant process of plan, do, check and adjust. I must recognise our UCB members, our trade partners and the UCB team for the many things they do, both the visible and invisible, that keep the vision of a profitable and growth-focused independent convenience and petroleum sector thriving.
Experiential retail, the part that involves the on-the-go needs of shoppers being met, their discovery of great new products and their socialising with others, hasn’t disappeared, either. Shoppers are still making their way to UCB member stores, not just because they want to ‘buy stuff’, but also because they want to get experiences that they won’t find anywhere else. We all need to work as an industry to keep this human connection fresh and alive.
We’ve stepped up our social media engagement and there’s more to come. We’re sharing stories about the essence of UCB, our members, along with our thoughts and opinions. Engaging with our audience, directly or through the sharing of our stories by others, has given us inspiration and feedback to consider. It’s also been a pleasure to see many members build their shopper awareness, engagement and conversion with social media, too.
Data from many sources is helping us improve our retail decisions. Thinking forward, we’ll keep exploring ways to collect, aggregate, protect and leverage data across our purchasing, sales and operations. The work we’ve done in 2018 is only the beginning.
The key reflection for me is that retailers adapting to the needs of their shoppers and evolving will continue to thrive. Some reflections never change. You thrive by putting your customer first.
