Making Convenience Sales

C-Store customers are generally "Time Poor" and looking for top up convenience products.

Statistics have been quoted from customer surveys that indicate over 56% of customers didn't purchase any product in the store at their visit because it was either out of stock or they couldn't find it.

Many of these customers haven't bothered asking the store staff for that product either, so if they can't find it quickly and easily, they will leave without making any purchases. And, if they couldn't find the product they came for, there is very little chance that they will be interested in an "impulse product". C-Store impulse products are where the margin is.

The demand products such as bread, milk and papers, some grocery items and so on are the reasons that they entered the store to begin with. If we are out of stock of these lines then we won't be selling any impulse items either.

C-Store Operators need to ensure they can satisfy the customers demand shopping requirements and then be able to offer them a range of impulse products and promotions. This is the basics of retail revenue growth - satisfied repeat customers who know that you have their core demand requirements as well as a range of other items to satisfy their consumer impulses and give them value for money.

Being Out Of Stock can cost you critical sales.

We all know that it is probably a waste of time to ask a supermarket cashier or checkout operator about the products they sell. However when a customer enters a convenience store, they always look for a staff member when they have a question.

Knowledge of products comes with time but also needs some effort on the part of the staff member and supervisor. Researching products to find the information is an ongoing process. Some tips and hints can come from fellow staff who have been in the game for some time, they often pass on the benefit of their experience with customers and the types of questions they have been asked.

Product packaging is a good source of information and staff should be encouraged to read the packs when they are stocking shelves to become familiar with the items.

When a customer asks a staff member if they have a product in stock or where is it in the store they do not want to hear answers like:

"If we have it, it should be down the back of the store".

This is not very helpful to the customer. A good service operator will know exactly what products they sell and where they are merchandised in the store. They should be able to tell a customer:

"Yes we have some. They are in the back row, on the right hand shelving bay, on the top shelf."

And if the staff member isn't busy at that time they would even show them. Now that is true Convenience Service.

Staff members should be familiarising themselves with what their store stocks and finding out information about the key products they sell.

In Summary - Look around the store, ask other staff, read the packaging when you complete tasks in the storeroom or out in the store and think about how to simplify that information to advise a customer quickly. Customers will appreciate your expertise and sales are improved when the customer's questions can be answered without fuss.

It is also important to supervisors and staff that they work out the "benefits" of store promotions to customers. The customer needs to be made aware of the value they are getting, of the savings they would make if they bought that combo - two for special. The Point of Sale Cards and Posters state what the offer is, however sometimes the staff need to tell a customer how they would benefit from taking the promotion.

Why not take a second bottle today, for only 30 cents extra, saving you $2.75?

atmp Training and Skill Development provide C-Store induction training for staff and Certificate II Retail Operations Training in flexible learning formats. Both of these programs include segments on Making Sales.
 

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