A Millennial's Perspective on Self-Service

In today’s world, the power of information is right at our fingertips. Anything you want to learn, buy, or watch can be accessed via smart phone, tablet, or computer. This has made processes easier, more organized, and efficient. Technology has changed how we communicate, pay bills, and even how we date. We’ve eliminated the necessity of shopping in retail stores, renting VHS, buying vinyl records, and now – going to the grocery store.

Grocers Getting Ahead

Although the grocery industry has notably been one of the slowest industries to make a digital transformation, it’s now given us the ability to shop for items without even leaving the couch. For Millennials, this has been a long time coming. Their daily tasks have been digital since they were young – submitting assignments in school, FaceTiming with loved ones, turning lights off and on from a smart assistant, and more. They are a generation that grew up in a world of one-click shopping and same day deliveries. Until relatively recently, there was still one industry they had to plan their afternoons around: grocery shopping.

The news of digital shelves and shopping carts has been overwhelmingly welcomed by the Millennial generation. They now have the ease of finding healthy, organic ingredients with the search of a button instead of looking tirelessly at labels. Dinners can be planned around online recipes that allow you to buy the ingredients directly from the grocer’s web store. Additionally, meaningful coupons and rewards pop up ready to be claimed by the cost-conscious generation. With the click of a button, the food arrives at their doorstep ready to be prepared – quick and convenient.

If it seems obvious that most Millennials would latch onto the idea of online ordering, you’d be correct. 61% of the Millennial generation shops for grocery items from a screen. But, what’s more is that Nielsen reports that the majority of Generation X have also made the switch to purchasing consumer packaged goods online. Baby Boomers are the least adaptive at 40%, but in as few as 5-7 years, it is reported that 70% of all consumers will be purchasing food and beverages online.

It’s important that grocers respond to this digital transformation in order to keep up with their competitors – more importantly, to keep up with consumer demand. Consumers have switched from the mindset of going to stores that offer hands-on service, to stores that deliver on-demand service. They’re willing to sacrifice the standard cashier and bagger for shorter wait times, ordering on-the-go, and delivery. Gartner predicts this will be a constant, continuous change, stating that 85% of customer interactions will be managed without a human by 2020.

Click-And-Collect with Ease

Although the need for the grocery industry to continue to address the digital transformation is far from debatable, with TRUNO, retailers have options in the technology they choose to support their strategy. MyCloudGrocer is a click-and-collect solution that allows consumers to shop online and either pick up their order or have it delivered. Research has shown that online store baskets average 400% larger than in-store baskets, and retailers have seen a 15% increase in store sales since implementing the MyCloudGrocer solution.

eCommerce, From the App Store

SwiftShopper is an effortless transition into the digital realm, offering a mobile checkout directly off of an app branded to the likes of your store. Customers can create shopping lists by manually typing in their items or scanning the UPC’s of what they wish to re-order. Products on the user’s list can be easily found with the aisle marker listed just below the item. Then, they can check out directly off of the app or through cashier assisted checkout lanes from an existing terminal.

Stay Loyal to Your Customers, And They'll Stay Loyal to You.

Promotions and coupons have increasingly become ineffective from conditioning consumers to buy products only when they are discounted. Como is a loyalty program that integrates seamlessly with POS and other systems giving retailers the data to identify motivators and customize promotions. With a mobile app customized to your business’ branding, content, and special offers, you can ensure a seamless experience for the customer – whether they are in-store or online.

Millennials Crave Self Checkout

Millennials and Generation Z have grown up in a world where they have little to no tolerance of delays. Almost a quarter of Millennials prefer to use self checkout simply because they don’t want to interact with a cashier, and prefer a quick transaction with no disruption. Self Checkout has evolved from a convenient option to a necessity in order to satisfy this generation of consumers. Implementing TRUNO’s Self-Service Checkout solutions allow you to reduce wait times and increase sales – without the confusion and headache.

Don't Be Afraid to Evolve.

The research shows that Millennials are receptive to digital transformation. The biggest hurdle retailers face in adapting a digital platform is “fear of the unknown.” 52% of executives site a “lack of familiarity” as a barrier to digital transformation. TRUNO understands grocers can be hesitant in the adaptation of technology, but we're here to help that transition be an effortless one. With TruCommerce, you can make your digital transformation easier and ensure actionable data. By integrating eCommerce platforms to your POS and back office systems, you can be fully equipped to handle digital and in-store operations. This integration gathers the necessary data to keep your business successful and on the forefront of technology.

 

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