This article is brought to you by Modisoft.

Small and medium-sized operators can achieve a best-of-both-worlds’ approach, offering a unique, localized in-store experience while staying nimble in terms of technology adoption, said Safi Modi, head of growth at Modisoft.

Combining the best of both worlds can bring in new customers and get existing customers back to the store more often.  

One great place to start is with personalized loyalty offers.  “These sorts of offers don’t have to be exclusive to the biggest retailers,” said Modi. "A six-location chain introduced digital coupons and a cent back for every dollar spent in-store, along with digital punch cards for their coffee program. This combination led to a 20% increase in sales, as customers returned more often to redeem fuel discounts and were rewarded for multiple visits."

Modisoft’s Cartzie loyalty platform, which can be white labeled by a retailer, includes the ability to analyze customer data and create compelling offers. "Cartzie lets you create targeted campaigns that reach the right customers based on their buying habits—ensuring offers go to the right people at the right time. No wasted discounts, just smarter, more effective marketing that drives sales and repeat visits,” Modi said.

Cartzie also makes executing online orders easier, since it is integrated into your POS. This opens up your offer to a huge number of new customers. “There are so many potential customers you’re not reaching if you’re not offering a compelling third-party delivery offer, like DoorDash or Uber Eats,” Modi said.

Operators can also create a full digital experience inside the store.

“Digital displays are table stakes now. They let you highlight whatever promotions you’re offering and communicate some of your brand personality,” Modi said.

Modisoft offers a customized digital display that allows customers to purchase lottery tickets. “Instead of an old lottery box, it’s a digital screen that the customer interacts with. Operators can add personality, like a Christmas tree in the background if it’s that time of year. The digital display is a fun way to buy a ticket,” Modi said.

A cutting-edge digital tool is also within reach for smaller operators: Digital price tags that are integrated with the price book. Modi noted that "Digital price tags save small retailers time and eliminate pricing errors. Now, they can update prices instantly and stay competitive without the hassle of manual changes—freeing up valuable time that they could be focusing on their business."

“Technology impacts the customer directly. It also impacts the customer indirectly by freeing up team members to focus on service,” said Modi. “Whenever technology lets your frontline workers do more, that has a huge impact on the customer, since team members are the heart of the in-store customer experience.”

Adding self-checkout terminals can transform your workforce to be more customer-focused and less tied to a machine, he said. Imagine a cashier who is instead able to walk around the store, keep shelves looking their best, tidy up your foodservice area or help customers find the product they’re looking for. 

“At the end of the day, keep the customer in mind. That’s going to help you find the right tech playbook for your operation,” said Modi.

This is the first in a two-part series from Modisoft. Look for part two on Thursday.