One thing grocery stores could do more of is behaviour-based segmentation. Coming up with personas representing their customers might prove very worthwhile. If you ascertain where your customers live, what they consume and how they shop, you can provide them with unique experiences.
For loyal customers, you can prepare such experiences as those described below. Technologies allow us to design them based on the personas which represent our model customers.
How might a connected customer experience look?
Imagine you are a married, affluent customer, regularly shopping at a local grocery store. One day, you decide to buy a bottle of champagne because you are expecting guests. When you pick up the bottle, the store sends you a video notification of people enjoying that particular champagne with some beetroot soup, bread and cheese. The store asks you whether you also want to purchase some beetroot and other ingredients. You agree – and a store attendant promptly brings you everything you need.
Use personas to beat giant online competitors
An article on the website of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania claims that dog owners, for example, may find it very convenient to order dog food from Amazon, which offers good prices and takes orders online. What might persuade such a dog owner to go to a local pet store instead? Well, if a local store offered shampooing the dog or brushing its teeth, that could be very tempting. Or maybe there is another service, such as providing pet sitting for pet owners who travel a lot.
To change the behaviour of customers, companies must understand what motivates them. Companies need to perceive customers as individuals.
-jk-