Objective: A key supplier for a large, national retailer engaged CALIBER to audit a sampling of stores around the U.S. that had recently received a shipment of seasonal merchandising displays. The success of the promotion rested in large part on the proper placement of the displays within the stores, and this needed to be verified. The auditors were also asked to confirm the in stock status of specific products, including the number of product facings.
SolutionCALIBER deployed experienced auditors and responded with detailed data by store, region, and product so the client could easily see where the areas of missed opportunity were occurring.
Result: The study revealed that compliance with the location of the displays was excellent. However, 77% of the stores were out of stock on one or more of the displayed products. The result -- the supplier and the retailer agreed to work together to create an action plan designed to significantly improve inventory position and boost sales for subsequent seasons.
Objective: A large regional supermarket chain enlisted CALIBER to perform a study focusing on how well its associates promote store brand products. Because store brand products produce higher margins and increased potential for customer loyalty, the retailer wanted to measure its associate’s ability to discuss the specific characteristics of the various tiers of store brands.
Solution CALIBER sent mystery shoppers into the retailer’s stores to perform a specific exercise -- inform associates that they were having trouble deciding between the store brand of a certain product and one of the national brands. As a benchmark, the same exercise was performed at select competitor stores.
Result: CALIBER's analysis uncovered key areas of opportunity, as well as best practices around which an associate can speak about the store products to help promote sales. As a result, the best practices identified by CALIBER are now rolled into associate training at all stores across the organization.
Background: A large regional grocery retailer initiated a new customer loyalty program in which customers could earn discounts on groceries by fueling up their tanks at gas stations/convenience stores operated by the retailer.
Objective: To help engage with customers and ensure a successful launch of the new loyalty card the retailer understood that cashiers would need to consistently promote the key talking points of the program. Cashiers would need to inform customers of their discount and counsel them on how they can be utilized to maximize savings. Customers would understand that the store was looking out for their best interest by helping them save money on fuel and groceries, and as a result, become more loyal.
Solution: After a substantial investment in training and marketing efforts, the retailer needed a way to measure how frequently their cashiers were successfully promoting the program to customers. Over an eight week period, the company enlisted CALIBER to administer daily mystery shops at each store in every market the program was launched.
Mystery shoppers provided instant feedback to the store manager upon completion of the shop, and store gift cards were awarded to cashiers who successfully communicated the program. In addition, CALIBER provided daily data files to the retailer so the company could understand and manage which districts and stores were having more success than others.
Result: In the retailer’s largest market, cashiers increased the frequency with which they informed customers about the loyalty program by twenty-two percent. The overwhelming success of the program led to the retailer retaining CALIBER to administer the program throughout the remaining markets five times over an eighteen month period.