Promotional Activities for Enhancing Customer Loyalty for Grocery and Superstores

Customer Loyalty Program 2 (Guideline and Interview)

Interview Guide for Grocery Store Owners

Promotional Activities, Customer Loyalty, POP, and Customer Retention Philosophies

Relevance: In the contemporary world of marketing, there are numerous techniques that are used to promote new products and services, to entice customers, and to attain a high level of customer retention. Sales promotion techniques are a powerful way of getting the marketing message across to all marketing channels, and are becoming increasingly sophisticated in order to be "seen and heard" in such a crowded market. Many companies use price as an incentive to bring in clients -- however, this is dangerous in the new global marketplace because it sets up a "price war," that is continual and really never viable. Instead, we need to look at other techniques for inspiring Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty. This Interview Guide will help us understand how Grocery Store owners are thinking about customers, and what techniques the current use, wish to use, find effective, and in what overall importance they see various marketing techniques as germane to the success of their business.

Questionnaire

1. What is the name of your business? How long have you been in business?

2. What is the focus and nature of your grocery business? Are you corporate or privately owned and how many stores if a chain?

3. How many employees do you have? FT/PT/Seasonal?

4. How is your store segmented? By Department (e.g. Meats, Produce, etc.)? Do you have managers for each Department? What are their duties?

5. What is your company's overall marketing strategy?

6. What do you add to that, agree or disagree with, etc.

7. Do you have a person dedicated to Marketing and Sales Promotion?

8. Do you have a Marketing/Sales Promotion Training Program for employees?

9. In your business or operational plan, do you have a section devoted to Customer Satisfaction? How about Customer Retention?

10. What are the major ways your organization focuses on Customer Satisfaction?

11. What are the major ways your organization focuses on Customer Retention?

12. What do you think are the top five reasons clients shop with you?

13. You are in a very competitive business; what do you specially do to induce customers to shop with you instead of the competition?

14. We know the 4 P's of Marketing are: Product, Price, Place and Promotion. Which of these is your primary marketing focus and why?

15. Do you use and/or believe in Point of Purchase marketing?

16. Is this individualized to your store, or part of other manufacturers or a corporate standard?

17. Is POP effective? Why or why not?

18. Many grocers rely on manufactures for in store promotions, displays, etc. Does your company participate in this?

19. What about couponing? It has been traditional in your industry, is it effective in the 21st century?

20. How does your organization use couponing?

21. Are customers more interested in quality and consistency or price? Explain?

22. Do you have a loyalty program (e.g. clients get a special sale price if they have your store's loyalty card, etc.)?

23. If so, is the program effective? If not, why not?

24. If you do not have a Loyalty Program, why? Do you plan on implementing one?

25. Do you deliver? Why or why not?

26. Many grocers now focus on pre-prepared meals or specialty items (sushi, bar-be-que, etc.) Does this apply to your organization? Why or why not?

27. If you could predict consumer trends in your industry, what are the top 5 issues and solutions you would see to keep customers loyal to your organization?

Consumer Questionnaire

Note: This questionnaire is for informational purposes only. Your data will be shared anonymously only with the research organization doing the research and the client for whom the research is done. It will not be sold or transmitted elsewhere.

Part 1 -- Demographics -- We'd like to know a little bit about you so we can understand how people in your situation shop and view certain marketing activities.

a. Age range: ____ 18-24 ____ 25-32 ____ 32-45 ____45-62 ____>62

b. Gender: ____M ____ F

c. Marital Status: ____ Married ____ Divorced ____ Partnered ____ None

d. Income range per annum: ____ $80

e. Education: ____ HS Diploma/GED ____ AA or Jr. College ____ BA ____MA ____ PhD or equivalent

f. Occupation: ____ Self-Employed ____ Service/Retail ____ Managerial

____ Office/Administrative ____ Professional ____ Unemployed

g. Children living at home: ____ Y all under 18 ____ Y some under 18, some over ____ No children at home or no children

Part 2- Shopping Patterns

a. Are you the: ____ primary grocery shopper ____ secondary grocery shopper ____ 50/50

b. How often do you shop for groceries per week (on average): ____ 1-2 times ____ 3-5 times ____ > 5 times

c. How often do you shop for groceries at this store?: ____ 1-2 times ____ 3-5 times ____ > 5 times

d. What percentage of your total monthly shopping do you do at this store?

e. What is your approximate monthly grocery budget?

f. How often do you eat out or bring take home in (per week)? ): ____ 1-2 times ____ 3-5 times ____ > 5 times

g. How close to your home is this location? ____ under 2 miles ____ 2-5 miles ____ 5-10 miles ____over 10 miles

h. Do you shop at this location on your way home, or because it is close to work? ____ close to home ____ close to work

Part 3 -- Grocery Purchases

a. When you think about this grocery store, what words or phrases come to mind?

b. What is your primary reason for shopping at this location? ____ Price ____ Convenience (location) ____ Service ____ Particular Brand (list)____ ____ Loyalty Program ____ Other (see below)