InField Solutions

10/13/2022

Is Self-Service a Go or No Go According to PepsiCo?

PepsiCo Foodservice, looking to keep a pulse on consumer attitudes to these various solutions, conducted a consumer survey last year to gain a better understanding of what consumers are looking for when it comes to unattended retail. The company surveyed 1,000 consumers through an online questionnaire.

Through the study, they confirmed their theory: consumers prefer unattended retail more than ever because they want to shop at their own pace. with our study finding that spending rose 20% to 40% more during unattended transactions.

Other interesting findings:

1. a general takeaway for the industry at large was just how open consumers of all demographics are to unattended retail.

2. Consumers who gravitate towards unattended retail seek convenience, less friction and full control of the experience. Unattended consumers are loyal to unattended, giving them the power to shop at their own pace without the presence of another person.

3. Whether standalone vending platforms or full-blown unattended stores, the technologies that are most promising are those that deliver on consumer demands without putting excess stress on operators. Maintenance is an important piece of this. From an operator standpoint, many are facing increasing labor cost pressures and look to unattended innovations to help simplify operations and look to their suppliers for the best technology and capabilities to alleviate that stress. The solutions must be intuitive and easily serviceable so that operators are not missing out on dollars.

From inField Solutions’ perspective,

1. Unattended retail can be taken further than just beverages with our self-service Micro Markets solution called Shoppe iQ. This solution allows for uses to use any combination of a kiosk function on a standard smartphone or tablet, and a complete Mobile POS App. The Shoppe iQ platform allows for the user to have complete flexibility when and how they shop, whether online, online with a designated pickup location, curbside pickup, or self serve in person shopping.

2. The Food iQ platform allows for Tap ‘n Go or eWallet transactions, a loyalty program (Cash iQ), manage promotions, and a built in communication feature to send messages / promotions to an individual or groups of users.

For the complete article:

https://zcu.io/BscB

Research confirming the consumer's preference for self-service convinced PepsiCo Foodservice to develop a solution enabled by AI and computer vision tech for automatic product recognition.

09/22/2022

Our very own Richard Zinck discusses why when in a crisis situation it is best to respond rather than react.

https://zcu.io/Rd7r

09/20/2022

How to use design to make your restaurant stand out — restaurant atmosphere

More than just what's on a menu, diners are looking for an experience. As the accompanying article suggests, this experience can relate to the design and the layout of a restaurant. I also believe that diners are looking for convenience and options when ordering food. Therefore, consider technology that allows diners to create profiles (to manage dietary restrictions, preferences, and allergies) and to have options or flexibility in how they order food (pre-order, real-time in person ordering, take out/curb-side, and group catering).

https://zcu.io/GNkz

Diners select restaurants based on how the entire experience makes them feel, and that includes restaurant atmosphere.

09/15/2022

Retailers are Abandoning their Scan-and-go Capability.

Wegmans, Walmart, and other retailers have or are ending their scan-and-go service.

In a statement from a Wegmans spokesperson, “SCAN users have told us they love the app and the convenience it offers. We love it too and have tried many adjustments to keep it,” but “unfortunately, the losses we are experiencing from this program prevent us from continuing to make it available in its current state.”

Not to make this about us, but we have solved this issue with our Shoppe iQ app. We can create a check-out list with a confirmation of Payment on the App, similar to what Costco does and have a person confirm the products / payment prior to allowing the consumers to leave the store. This allows the consumers to continue to use an App, maximize retail floor space (by reducing cashier stations), optimize the available labour force, while also allowing the retailer to reduce shrinkage. Truly a win-win-win.

https://zcu.io/ZLrT

The grocer told customers it’s doing away with the popular app later this week due to “losses” that “prevent us from continuing to make it available in its current state.”

09/12/2022

We all know that if we don't use tools the correct way, things won't go as planned.

Watch our own Richard Zinck talk about his journey as he attempted to change a tire on his truck. Yes, he knows how to use a jack but didn't realize he had to use it in a certain way to release the new tire. Three hours wasted, but a valuable lesson learnt.

https://zcu.io/bmHG

Are you using the tools available to you in the best possible way?

06/22/2022

Unattended retail explodes in response to consumer acceptance
by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

"Consumers use unattended retail so they can shop at their own pace," -PepsiCo consumer study.

According to McDonalds, "… consumers really want more control of the transaction."

"Consumers wanted to know exactly what they were getting… and they didn't feel pressure about somebody asking if they wanted a side."

"When consumers feel less pressure, they feel more comfortable (they) buy more. They will spend 20% to 40% more per transaction in an unattended setting.”

These consumers, a third of the U.S. population, will use unattended venues more if there were loyalty programs, if the "right" products were offered and if unattended was offered in more channels. If they use it at work, they will use it in the amusement park or the hotel.

What are big things an operator should do in the next three years?

… ones who win will have relentless commitment to training employees. Number two is being disciplined to core service and finding other ways to serve the client without driving up cost. Third is remember the tech is an enabler to the business. Staying focused on smart innovation and not chasing the "shiny" object.

… with COVID, the need to diversify became important. Second is the need to embrace technology, which seems to be changing faster and can be utilized in all aspects of operating the business.

inField Solutions has an unattended retail solution that maximizes the user experience and convenience levels, while providing an affordable and powerful tool for the vendor or operator, called inField Shoppe iQ. Please click on this link for more information. https://zcu.io/0oiO

To view this article, please click on this link: https://zcu.io/0anz

06/17/2022

How to manage risks with new technology: Experts weigh in

Investing in technology typically requires a certain amount of risk. By managing this risk, companies can achieve the benefits of new technology without incurring excessive losses in the foodservice and retail industries. https://zcu.io/rpn5

A potential solution is inField Shoppe iQ. https://zcu.io/0oiO

Investing in technology typically requires a certain amount of risk. By managing this risk, companies can achieve the benefits of new technology without incurring excessive losses.

06/16/2022

Canadian Foodservice’s Midterm Trend Report by Restobiz (Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News) May 2022

In summary:

Mid-Year status on overall foodservice performance:

Canadian foodservice sales have certainly begun to rebound in early 2022, with commercial foodservice sales up nearly 18 per cent over the last year and indexing showing that industry revenue will be at 97 per cent of pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2022. As COVID-19 restrictions have eased and indoor dining has begun to make a comeback, Canadian foodservice industry employment has also begun to recover, showing 12 per cent year-over-year growth in February 2022.

When it comes to segments, predicted nominal rebound rates have been adjusted to be slightly lower, with limited-service sales projected to grow 7.1 per cent, and full-service sales estimated to grow 20.9 per cent in 2022.

Mid-Year status regarding going lean:

Restaurant chains have been balancing investments in traditional expansion and digital operations. As predicted, some operators have been leaning into technology-driven enterprises that focus on delivery and takeout models. For multi-concept operator Recipe Unlimited, for example, e-commerce sales have continued to grow, even as dining rooms have reopened.

On the flip side, rather than getting leaner, many operators — including Mary Brown’s, Popeyes, and Jollibee — have been expanding by opening units in new regions. And despite overall menu items decreasing two per cent year over year, the fact that this is compared to a nine per cent decrease from pre-pandemic to today signals that a slow road to menu recovery may be starting.

Mid-Year status on managing supply chain constraints:

The menu creativity we predicted for this year is already apparent, with innovative preparations (e.g., grilled lettuce at Tanto in Toronto) and quirky takes on classics (e.g., Mucho Burrito’s Tandoorito featuring tandoori chicken and chutney crema stuffed into a burrito) popping up on menus.

https://zcu.io/xsB8

By Katie Belflower At the start of the year, amid what was still significant COVID-19-related turmoil and evolving restrictions and operations, Technomic mapped out a predicted trend report for the Canadian foodservice industry. Now, five months into 2022 and after so much has changed (again) in the...

06/14/2022

This video launches our new inField Unscripted video series called Centre Core Focus. This video features our very own Richard Zinck, who will explore how to win by listening. Please view this video to learn more and do let us know what you think.

https://zcu.io/Vq6W

In this video, Richard Zinck explains what it takes to win.

06/01/2022

Consumers are not able to shop how they want to.

There is a major disconnect between the shopping experience retailers are offering and what consumers actually want.

According to Nice’s 2022 Digital-First Customer Experience Report (https://zcu.io/pbe5), 81% of consumers want more self-service options, yet only 15% are highly satisfied with today's tools, though brands believe 53% are very satisfied with their self-service.

While 36% of consumers would like to see companies make self-service smarter, less than 11% of businesses are making that a priority.

The solution is the inField Shoppe iQ platform. By recognizing that no two shopping experiences are the same, inField Shoppe iQ allows consumers to personalize how they shop each and every time. They can shop at home, work, or in store and either on their own smart phone or a smart device provided in store.

The inField Shoppe iQ platform is integrated with our own smart locker system called Connected Cubbies. The Connected Cubbies system provides a frictionless solution to manage deliveries, pickups, and returns.

View this brochure (https://zcu.io/jfXX) to find out more about our inField Shoppe iQ platform and contact us if we can be of service.

03/16/2022

Just like people used cars as a fancy horse and buggy in the past, are you leveraging technology effectively in your business?

Watch our own Richard Zinck talk about his journey in utilizing technology to manage micro markets.

https://zcu.io/0Jx6

Just like people used cars as a fancy horse and buggy in the past, are you leveraging technology effectively in your business?

02/17/2022

A video reviewing the advantages of the Food iQ App Phonebooth feature ... increase user engagement while improving the overall buying experience.

https://zcu.io/ihtD

A video reviewing the advantages of the Food iQ App Phonebooth feature ... increase user engagement while improving the overall buying experience.