The Ideal Pairing: Service + Tech

MARGINS ARE SLIM, turnover is huge and competition is very, very red of tooth and claw. That, in a few words, pretty much sums up the grocery scene in the U.K. (and much of Europe for that matter) and the outcome is a market in which creating a point of difference from your rivals is at the heart of almost everything that is done, whether it’s the way stores look, methods of payment or, of course, the product range.

Around three weeks ago, Waitrose, which sits at the top of the mass-market tree in terms of how it’s viewed by shoppers (the closest U.S. comparison might be Whole Foods Market), opened a next generation store in Newbury, a small town about 60 miles west of London. Beyond Newbury, it’s farming and more farming, making this a relatively affluent location and one in which food plays an important role.

The store is interesting because Waitrose has opted to make the interior digitally led, with everything from digital shelf-edge labels to multiple in-aisle screens showing off the supermarket’s products. This, on its own, would be a big change for an outfit that has been notable for the lack of customer-facing digital, but the key to what has been done in this store is that digital has been coupled with face-to-face service.

Practically, this means a lot of staff whose job, among other things, is to smile and gently encourage you to consider the ingredients for some of the many recipes that can be viewed on screen and as printed leaflets around the store. There are also many manned counters, from deli to sushi, fishmonger to butcher.

All of which makes this an interior that actually succeeds in slowing shoppers down a little and increases the chances of incremental purchasing. Shoppers may have a list when they enter, but the odds are that additional items will be put into the basket thanks to the service and digital combo.

Nothing remarkable perhaps, but a good illustration of why the store was heaving on opening day.