‘Unravelling the cost of supermarket queues’
Ah, the local supermarket in Harare CBD — a place where the mundane turns into an epic saga of patience and perplexity.
MY recent visit to this retail wonderland was nothing short of a comedy sketch, featuring a local rewards programme, long queues, and the mystery of the missing till operators.
As I meandered through the aisles, juggling a basket full of groceries and an increasing sense of frustration, I could not help but notice the serpentine queue snaking its way to the checkout. There were eight till points, but only four of them had operators. Naturally, I did what any curious (and slightly irked) shopper would do — I asked the cheerful operator at my till why half of the checkouts were unmanned.
With a smile that could disarm the most irate customer, she explained that out of the four idle till points, two were not functioning due to technical issues, and the other two were unmanned because the shift comprised a four-person team of operators working on a rotating schedule.
My brain did a quick somersault as I tried to digest this information. Here’s a company that invested in equipment but apparently didn’t think it necessary to have enough staff to use it.
The financial impact: Let us break it down with a bit of math: If each unmanned till loses at least $100 per day due to frustrated customers abandoning their purchases, and there are 10 branches, that is $1 000 per day.
Over a month, that’s a staggering $30 000 in lost revenue. Now, I’m no business genius, but I’m pretty sure it doesn’t cost $30 000 a month to pay a few more shop attendants. Seriously, who needs that kind of drama when a couple more attendants could save the day?
Non-verbal communication and customer experience: The non-verbal communication here is loud and clear — the supermarket is sending a message of indifference and inefficiency.
Despite the long queue of waiting customers, having only 4 out of 8 available checkout stations staffed says a lot without uttering a single word.
The unspoken messages of supermarket shenanigans: Disregard for customer time and convenience:
The long wait times and underutilised checkout stations paint a picture of a supermarket that falls short in prioritising customer satisfaction.
Customers are left frustrated by inefficient service, with the evident lack of urgency in addressing checkout needs highlighting a troubling disregard for their time and convenience.
Lack of staffing and operational efficiency:
The cheerful explanation about staffing rotations reveals a deeper issue in workforce planning.
It seems that operational decisions prioritise internal logistics over customer service demands, implying a disconnect where customer needs take a backseat to rigid scheduling policies. This approach conveys a message of indifference: “We acknowledge the inconvenience, but staffing schedules are paramount.”
Indifference to potential lost revenue: According to the operator’s assessment, the supermarket potentially loses substantial daily sales due to customer dissatisfaction. This blatant disregard for maximising business performance is perplexing, reflecting a shortsightedness that overlooks the longterm impact of customer retention and revenue growth.
Poor management and decision-making:
The decision to leave checkout stations unstaffed despite evident customer demand is a stark example of suboptimal operational management.
It highlights a fundamental failure to align resources effectively with customer expectations and operational realities. Such lapses in decision-making undermine both efficiency and customer trust, posing significant challenges to the supermarket’s overall effectiveness and profitability.
The customer’s perspective: From a customer’s perspective, this situation is exasperating and disappointing, especially in an era where online shopping and delivery services offer convenience and efficiency. Here are some points to consider:
Convenience and speed: With online shopping, customers can avoid long queues entirely. They can shop from the comfort of their homes and have their groceries delivered. The supermarket’s inefficiency becomes a glaring disadvantage in
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comparison.
Customer loyalty and satisfaction: A competitor with fully staffed tills and a greater variety of goods is bound to attract more customers.
Shoppers are more likely to return to a store where they can complete their transactions quickly and find what they need without hassle.
Lost opportunities: Every frustrated customer who leaves due to long wait times is a lost sale.
In a competitive market, these small losses add up and can significantly impact the supermarket’s bottom line.
Additionally, dissatisfied customers are unlikely to recommend the store to others, further reducing potential revenue.
Perceived value: Customers perceive value not only in the products they purchase but also in the shopping experience.
A store that demonstrates care for its customers by ensuring a smooth and efficient checkout process is perceived as more valuable. This perception can influence shopping habits and brand loyalty.
The competitor’s edge: A competitor that has all tills manned and stocks a wider variety of goods will naturally draw more customers. Here’s why:
Efficient service: Fully staffed tills mean shorter wait times and a more pleasant shopping experience.
Customers can quickly get in, find what they need, and check out without unnecessary delays.
Product availability: A greater variety of goods ensures that customers can find everything they need in one place. This convenience encourages repeat business and fosters customer loyalty.
Customer satisfaction: Efficient service means happy customers are more likely to return and recommend the store to others. It’s a simple equation: less waiting = more smiling.
Adaptability and modernisation:
Embracing modern retail practices, such as online shopping and delivery services, shows that a competitor is keeping up with changing customer preferences.
This adaptability can give them a significant edge over traditional supermarkets that fail to innovate.
Learning from industry leaders: Back to my eye-twitch-inducing supermarket experience. Imagine if they borrowed a page from Tesco and Walmart’s playbook:
Tesco Supermarket chain: By guaranteeing checkout efficiency, Tesco’s “1 in line” policy sought to enhance the customer experience.
By opening extra tills during peak hours, the project aimed to minimise wait times at checkout counters, improve customer satisfaction, and encourage more frequent visits and sales.
This initiative underscored Tesco’s dedication to optimising operational effectiveness and promptly addressing customer input concerning expediency and prompt service.
Tesco has also extensively incorporated self-checkout kiosks, which enable patrons to scan and pay for their own purchases, hence decreasing wait times.
As a result, labour costs have decreased: Self-checkout devices have decreased the need for extra workers, lowering labour expenses without sacrificing service standards.
Walmart: Walmart has introduced the Scan & Go mobile app and expedited checkout lanes for those with fewer items. Through the app, consumers can pay with their phones and scan products while shopping, doing away with traditional checkout lines. By reducing bottlenecks at checkout, the Scan & Go app and speedy checkouts have increased consumer throughput and sales volume.
These improvements have enhanced the shopping experience, increasing customer loyalty and retention.
Conclusion: The supermarket in Harare may revolutionise its operations by CBD implementing these principles, which would decrease customer annoyance, increase productivity, and eventually lead to superior corporate performance.
Essentially, this scenario’s supermarket’s non-verbal communication communicates a lack of managerial competency, inefficiency, and a disdain for the consumer experience.
Improving customer satisfaction and driving financial performance should be the business’s top priorities when it comes to addressing these non-verbal communication concerns.
The next time you’re standing in line at the grocery store, keep in mind that, behind every smiling employee and vacant register, there’s a tale waiting to be told — a tale of incompetence, poor leadership, and the audible cries of abandoned shopping carts. And if it’s possible, think about shopping online or choosing a rival that prioritises your time and convenience. Tariro Manamike is a seasoned media and public relations professional with over a decade of experience in broadcast journalism and strategic communication. She is passionate about human-centered design, business communication, and their impact on the bottom line. Tariro writes in her personal capacity and can be reached at tarimanamike@gmail.com