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BUSINESS THROUGH INNOVATION Experience Solutions and Strategy, Vicky Katsabaris, says that with this feedback, businesses can pinpoint any further actions they may need to implement. “There are three types of monitoring approaches petrol and convenience retailers should keep top of mind in order to deliver customer experience that exceeds expectations,” she said. “The first is keeping a pulse on customer expectations and satisfaction – either through targeted feedback in-app, in-store QR codes, or feedback mechanisms on the brand’s website. Considering the rate of change we’re experiencing, these pulse checks need to happen weekly, which is regular enough to jump on emerging trends but not too regular as to bombard the customer. This helps keep a pulse on changing customer expectations and what to do to improve. Utilising text analysis and sentiment in real time is valuable at this time to bring this to life for decision-makers in an organisation. “The second is keeping a pulse on frontline staff, using technology to deliver similarly short surveys through internal channels. Good employee experience has positive ripple effects throughout the whole business: customers feel they’re being looked after by people who really care, and brand reputation skyrockets for those retailers that treat their employees well. Frontline teams are an especially critical source of feedback on how well an organisation is meeting customer expectations. They can help by providing insight that might be missed as change is so frequent. “The third monitoring method Qualtrics recommends is keeping a ‘digital open door’. During times of crisis, keeping communication lines open with customers is critical. Organisations need to quickly launch or optimise websites and apps, which have become critical touchpoints in the new reality, and better leverage their online assets for two-way communications with customers.” Ensuring health and safety Arguably, the most important factor to consider as we enter the new normal is health and safety. While the industry is already “well aware” of the importance of proper regulations to prevent incidents and reduce risks, says SafetyCulture Chief Operating Officer Alistair Venn, COVID-19 has brought a whole new range of threats. This, he adds, means new protocols must be implemented to keep employees and patrons safe. “Besides the obvious hygiene practices,” he said, “regular training sessions and comprehensive checklists are some of the ways both employees and employers can protect themselves and their customers from COVID-19 safety risks. “With public health and reopening guidelines changing every day, to ensure they’re up to speed with the latest guidance, petrol and convenience retailers should implement a simple digital checklist which can be updated in seconds and deployed to the entire workforce instantly.” Mr Venn emphasises the urgency and importance of safety, which isn’t just a “compliance ticking exercise” anymore. Instead, it can now be the difference between outbreaks and returning to some form of normalcy. “It’s becoming a company’s competitive advantage, value proposition and business critical procedure,” he said. When it comes to equipment, such as shopping trolleys and hand baskets, Supercart Technical Director Louw Van Tonder says retailers should look at products that are not only made locally, good for the environment and sustainable, but also those that could easily ensure, after each use, that such equipment is safe to handle – without having to commit a considerable proportion of labour resources and time to continually disinfect them. “Retailers need to ensure equipment used by shoppers is continually safe to use,” he said. “Manufacturers as well as retailers should look at developing ways of incorporating antimicrobial agents into their products. In certain cases, these antimicrobial agents can offer continuous protection against viruses and other pathogens. “It’s still to be determined whether these antimicrobial agents are effective in protecting against COVID-19. \\\[Supercart parent company\\\] Innovative Plastic Solutions continues to engage with leading suppliers of additives as well as researchers, to improve our retail solutions.” Looking to the future of a retailer’s overall store and business, Mr Venn cites the “need to create sustainable preventative plans” so companies can be “prepared for the worst case scenario instead of waiting for a problem to present itself, thus disrupting a business model before learning how to manage it well – by which time people would have suffered”. Unwrapping the state of packaging When it comes to food products on a retailer’s shelf, packaging can play a critical part in ensuring its protection. CEO David Marinucci notes that his packaging company, Marinucci, is receiving more inquiries for prepackaged solutions to reduce potential contamination of food. TO PAGE 18 JUL/AUG, 2020 CONVENIENCE WORLD 17