June 2020

Instituting An Efficient Store Operation In a Changed Retail Environment

How can retailers maintain high levels of service while operating efficiently in today’s unfamiliar retail environment? A great place to start is incorporating shelf management systems, such as FlexRoller, to automate the time consuming task of shelf organization – allowing store associates to be utilized in other areas of the store.

A Story From The Front Lines

One of our favorite stories that speaks to the value of FlexRoller comes from a prominent Texas grocery store chain.

In early March, FlexRoller was installed for a test-run inside the dairy cooler at one of this chain’s busier stores. Timing could not have been more perfect as panic-induced buying hit stores across the nation just a week after its installation.

The feedback we got was that in the midst of the busiest grocery shopping periods in history, the dairy cooler was one less area that store associates had to worry about as FlexRoller ensured that each product was at the shelf edge, accessible to customers.

Installation Photo - March 2020

Retailing Past

Without shelf management systems, staff is required to spend hours each day pulling products forward to face and organize shelves. This process also results in products being touched multiple times before ending up in the customer’s basket, and requires staff to be in close proximity to other shoppers. It is a time-consuming task, and unsanitary in light of the Coronavirus pandemic.

As the virus became an increasing threat, retailers had to quickly pivot by incorporating procedures and protocols to ensure the safety of employees and customers. Mitigation How can retailers maintain high levels of service while operating efficiently in today’s unfamiliar retail environment? A great place to start is incorporating shelf management systems, such as FlexRoller, to automate the time consuming task of shelf organization – allowing store associates to be utilized in other areas of the store. strategies such as store capacity limits, limited hours, social distancing floor stickers, checkout shields, mask requirements, ‘one-way shopping’ navigation and not to mention strenuous cleaning regimens, transformed the shopping experience as we know it today.

What Does The Future Hold?

As the world slowly navigates to a ‘new normal’, retailers will have to be creative in their approach to maintain high levels of customer service while finding ways to operate efficiently.

What will be the new roles and responsibilities of store associates? How can retailers protect their workforce and customers while operating productively?

One permanent, yet simple strategy to assist stores is implementing shelf management systems. An effective shelf management system not only enhances the shopping experience by automatically fronting product to the shelf edge, but also reduces the burden of shelf organization from store associates – greatly reducing employee-customer interaction.

Bruegmann Protection Solutions

Retailing Optimized With FlexRoller

FlexRoller stands out as a premier shelf management solution with consistent performance in over 75,000 stores worldwide. FlexRoller’s adaptability to operate in any retail environment (cold-vault, reach-in cooler & center store), and capability to front any product type makes it a dynamic solution for today’s retail store. In addition, a 5-year warranty and adjustable dividers guarantee automatic fronting for countless planogram resets in years to come.

On average, grocery store employees front shelves up to five times a day. With FlexRoller, this time is reduced by about 80% resulting in the following benefits:

  • Hygiene: Minimal product touches by store employees increases sanitation and hygiene
  • Social Distancing: Less time spent on the sales floor in close proximity to shoppers adhering to social distancing guidelines
  • A Better Shopping Experience: Shoppers can quickly find their desired products at the shelf edge and spend less time inside the store
  • Increased Efficiency For ‘Personal Shoppers’: Personal shoppers fulfilling online orders for delivery or pickup can quickly find items

In Conclusion

Consider the operational efficiencies that are improved with the introduction of automatic fronting. Even implementing FlexRoller to just a handful of key, high-turnover categories can make all of the difference in the world.

In today’s rapidly changing retail environment, it is going to be important to be proactive in implementing strategies to gain a competitive advantage. A great place to start is automatic fronting from FlexRoller.

Which categories immediately pop into your head where you could use a helping hand in on-shelf merchandising?

Contact Info

Our dedicated sales team is standing by ready to guide you through developing a FlexRoller solution for your exact needs. Feel free to call 888.745.9229 or email info@flexroller.com for inquires. Want additional information about FlexRoller right now? Visit flexroller.com where you can browse various videos of FlexRoller in action, and other tools to help you gain a better perspective on the system.