Whole Foods will launch their first 365 store next month in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles. Not familiar with 365? It’s a secondary grocery format being launched by Whole Foods, designed specifically for well educated “hipster” millennials. There are 15 or so stores slated to open in the United States over the next year and a half with locations in California, Oregon, Washington State, and Texas.
Read MoreI’ve figured out the secret to fulfilling the needs of Millennial shoppers. They are simply looking for something convenient, affordable, gourmet, unique, flavorful, healthy, and current. Ok, so not that simple. But there is a way to gauge these preferences and leverage them.
Read MoreWhile the retail grocery channel is undergoing a whirlwind of change, the consensus I get from industry professionals is that the only certainty about the future of grocery is uncertainty. But the key to forecasting the coming trends is taking a deeper look into what is changing the industry.
Read MoreCustomer service is a growing concern of mine, especially referring to larger companies who’ve “brilliantly” cut costs by outsourcing their call centers overseas. I know all of you have spent precious hours of your life conversing with “Steve” from Mumbai to solve an issue or make a formal complaint. Unfortunately, the number one reason loyal customers switch brands is a direct result of poor customer service. Whether it’s long wait times, broken English, or no response at all, customers are leaving brands they’ve been with for years because they do not feel like VALUED customers anymore. This will only get worse as statistics show that millennial shoppers have a much lower tolerance for bad customer service. There is also a growing and unavoidable trend of customers hitting the social media newsfeeds to speak of their experience and frustration with people, companies, and brands. Not to mention 76% of customers stop doing business with a brand that they’ve had a bad experience with. (Ovum)
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