While I was doing some shopping with my wife in our local supermarket, a frustrated customer was angrily telling me his experience as he pointed to a one-way traffic decal on the floor.
“I wanted an item in the coffee section that was a few feet away from entering the aisle,” he explained. “A store clerk told me the aisle was one-way traffic only. I had to go all the way around down one aisle and up the next just to get the coffee which was only a simple reach.”
More than one customer has complained about the one-way traffic in stores. Most gripe about the fact that it now takes them much longer to shop in the store as well as wait in outstretched checkout lines.
COVID-19 has presented many challenges and created added stress to our daily lives. We were cast into a fear-driven craze by this underhanded pandemic, and now it has forced us to stand at attention to the demands of new social regulations.
Change usually takes its time to revolutionize lifestyles, but everything that’s been happening around us in recent months has become overwhelming and quite burdensome. It has also taken us out of the realm of our normal daily work. Our company goals have been disrupted.
Sometimes change happens so fast that we aren’t ready for it. We hear talk about the new normal, but what is it? All the new normal really means is change. We go through changes continuously. All change means is to do something differently. It doesn’t mean to put up stop signs on everything we’ve been doing.
Not everything is gloom and doom. The produce industry has always diversified. The new normal doesn’t mean we will stop growing fruits and vegetables. It doesn’t mean buyers will stop making purchases or that the stores will stop setting up nice attractive produce displays.
Don’t run out of steam just yet. Much of this situation is turning around. All of the measures we have taken, such as social distancing, face masks, sanitizing areas, etc. have slowed down the virus. It will eventually be eliminated. Businesses, communities, and venues are starting to open up again.
Now is the time to keep a focus on selling produce. Adjustments will work their way into the system over time. But for now, we need to get back to several vital areas of our responsibilities like boosting sales and achieving the gross profit.
The grocery store operation has been hit hard with expenses. The unexpected cost for extra labor, masks, sanitizers and other material has placed a strain on company’s budgets. Make no mistake, there is a serious need for gross profit to help pay for the added expenses.
The pandemic period wreaked havoc upon many industries, especially restaurants and foodservice. However, it sparked a few positive sectors as well. The online grocery shopping increased immensely. So too did the demand for organic produce escalate.
The stay-at-home work requirement was necessary during the early stages of the pandemic. Thanks to technology company operations were able to hold down the fort best as possible. However, some sales and revenue slipped.
It’s time now to get our business structure back to the original playing field. Yes, there will be an adjustment period with some different specific social rules. We can only do so much over the phone on virtual meetings. The actual face-to-face conveniences of planning programs, being present at live meetings, calling on retailers, showing product samples, making purchase agreements and attending industry events, is all in the ability to generate revenue and keep companies viable.
The panic shopping period has passed and the sales increases from it were abnormal. We must now get back to generating sales and profit on purpose.
Even though this pandemic is a disruption and costly to businesses, we have no alternative but to change. That change isn’t just ahead — it’s already here.
Ron Pelger is the owner of RonProCon, a produce industry advisory firm. He is also a produce industry merchandising director and a freelance writer. He can be contacted at 775-843-2394 or by e-mail at ronprocon@gmail.com.
