Man Can't Stop Complaining Even After Best Grocery Experience of His Life at Safeway: A Case Study in Gratitude Deficiency ??

Dear Safeway's Amazing Store Operations, HR, and Technology Teams,

Let me tell you about an incredible customer experience I had at my local Safeway grocery store in downtown Calgary Mission location, today (and how I think you could scale this experience across all your stores) I was getting supplies for a small Super Bowl party I'm hosting with friends, when I stumbled upon a discovery that was simply mind-blowing!

I was there to get some baby back ribs for our big Rhianna day bash, but as I approached the counter, I saw something that made me do a double-take; freshly cooked full racks of baby back ribs, that looked just as delicious as what I was going to spend hours making myself. And get this - the price was the same, whether I bought them uncooked or cooked! THE SAME!

So, I asked the friendly butchers what time they'd put the pre-cooked ribs in the hot stand tomorrow. 'Buddy' said, "how come you already know you want ribs tomorrow?" (I snorted) And then, enter Asmira, the superhero of Safeway customer service. Hands full with what could have been the?paraphernalia of 3 or 4 different things she was working on. Not only did she answer my question with a smile and some jokes that made my toddler giggle, but she went above and beyond... She took my name and phone number and said she'd prepare however many racks of BBQ ribs I wanted, at whatever time I wanted, and I could swing by and pick them up fresh tomorrow on game day. I mean, talk about an above and beyond, amazing customer experience.

The ribs will be a hit at the Super Bowl party, (so will my pals rendition of Philly Cheese Steak in honor of his beloved Eagles (God - save my kitchen)

Now, here's the real punchline. As grateful as I was for Asmira and her team's effort and energy today, as a retail process nerd, I couldn't help but notice that she had to reach for the nearest scrap of paper and find a pen to take down my details. It made me wonder, is this the typical process for this? How will she make sure this get’s executed? What does the handover look like to her team on this task? How will she know if it happens on time? How will she triage if it doesn't? How does Corporate office measure the effectiveness of work like this? What if this goes wrong and my Ribs aren't ready tomorrow? (I really hope my co-host makes a a-lot of Philly Cheese Steak)

That's when I realized, this is where Zipline can help. We digitize all kinds of processes, making things easier for folks like Asmira and her team. We make it much more likely to get executed on time. Because let's face it, those scraps of paper with people's names and numbers can easily get lost in the shuffle, and that’s the difference between winning or losing this opportunity to make me a forever customer.

So, Safeway, if you're looking for a way to make customer and employee experiences even better, and save Asmira's arm from having to reach for a pen every time, let's talk. I'd love to understand your process and help you see how Zipline can help.

PS. Stay tuned - I'll mention in the comments whether or not the team had my ribs ready at Noon tomorrow - Pics if it happens!

Thanks Safeway team for reading (and any other Grocers out there who are interested in this epic experience)

Yours in ribs, employee engagement, and execution!

Nick?Coughlan @ Zipline ([email protected])

About the Author:?Meet Nick, a proud product evangelist at Zipline, where he's on a mission to revolutionize the retail world by making life easier for store employees and creating unparalleled experiences for customers. But let's not forget, he's also a proud dad, loving husband, and owner of a pack of four furry canines. In his free time, Nick enjoys writing and hopes you find this bio interesting. Although, with his dry sense of humor, he wouldn't be surprised if you found it as entertaining as watching paint dry. But, hey, at least the paint won't run away with your attention like those mischievous dogs of his. In all seriousness, Nick's obsession with improving the retail world is admirable, and his passion for his work is contagious. So, sit back, grab a cup of coffee, and join him (and his Retail Rundown newsletter) on his journey to make the retail world a better place, one retailer at a time.