This article is brought to you by Modisoft.

Retailers are always striving to create a great store experience for their customers, but they are also faced with the industry’s hiring and labor challenges.

“Retailers are pulled in two directions. One is building the most efficient operation they can. The other is making their in-store and digital experience a great one so that customers keep coming back,” said Safi Modi, head of growth at Modisoft, a provider of back-office solutions for the convenience store industry.

“Technology can be used to streamline operations, reduce manual tasks, improve visibility and provide better data insights—all of which can simplify day-to-day management for small- and medium-sized chains,” said Modi. “It’s important to have a playbook or a roadmap for how technology can make your operation more efficient. Technology is a critical part of staying competitive, and the right tech allows you to spend more time focused on your customers.”

Modi pointed to some trending ways that retailers are leaning into technology to simplify operations while allowing team members to focus on the guest experience.

• “Digital price tags are moving from a great concept to a reality. This obviously saves time in changing price tags, but it can save time and confusion in the front office too, since the price book can be set to automatically create a price, based on your desired margin,” said Modi. “We’re seeing retailers with as few as five stores have success with digital price tags.”
• Adding in tech solutions doesn’t necessarily require a system overhaul—something as simple as a fingerprint time clock makes payroll easier and prevents time theft, said Modi. “We offer a Fingerprint Reader with ID Card Reader.”
• Self-checkout has also become a feature that many consumers expect. “Incorporating self-checkout creates a better customer experience for those customers who prefer it while freeing up a team member to be more engaged in customer service,” said Modi.  
• Another huge area of opportunity for many retailers is improving or growing their loyalty program, said Modi. “Is your loyalty program easy to use for both you and your customer? Does your loyalty program balance being streamlined with offering your customers a great experience?”

“Keep in mind that as you streamline your operations with technology, the end goal is to have a better customer experience,” said Modi. “It’s all about making your store the place to be.”

This is the second in a two-part series from Modisoft. Read part one.