Grocery Workers Seek More Say On Using In-Store Tech

These days, technology is not just beneficial, but essential for grocers to boost efficiency and remain competitive. However, the selection and deployment of new technology needs more input from workers to ensure its adoption and effectiveness.

Those are among the major conclusions in Grocery Doppio’s new report, “State of the Industry: How Digital is Reshaping the Grocery Workforce.” That survey, which included input from more than 700 grocery workers, was performed by Incisiv, a next-generation industry insights firm that helps retailers and brands navigate digital disruption, and Wynshop, a provider of digital commerce and fulfillment solutions for local store-based retailers.

Key findings from the survey include:

• 87 percent of responding workers say new technologies can help them do their jobs better.
• 63 percent experienced technology failure, and 81 percent say this impacted their job performance.
• The top reasons for poor technology, according to associates, are limited real-world testing (73 percent), poor connectivity/infrastructure (71 percent), lack of associate input (59 perent), and poor training (59 percent).
• 87 percent are worried that AI and robotics will lead to a reduction in workforce.
• 25-40 minutes are saved per associate per shift (4 hours) due to new technologies like AI and robotics.

“Digital is changing the grocery experience across channels,” said Gaurav Pant, Chief Insights Officer of Incisiv and Grocery Doppio. “Store associates have a front-row view of what is needed to ensure a smooth shopping experience and to protect customer loyalty. It is crucial that grocers listen attentively to their associates’ insights and empower them with modern technologies and tools to optimize operational efficiency and enrich customer interactions.”

Adds Charlie Kaplan, Chief Revenue Officer at Wynshop: “Demands on grocers are increasing due to growth in pickup order fulfillment and labor shortages. By incorporating the innovations and user-centered design principles of apps we use in our everyday lives, tools from retail tech providers can vastly improve fulfillment capabilities for grocery workers.”

Click here for more from the survey.