<\/p>\n
The engagement followed a statement issued on 16\u00a0September by the\u00a0Guild Retail Directors of the Spar Guild of Southern Africa,\u00a0in which they\u00a0reaffirmed their commitment to working constructively with the\u00a0board\u00a0and the executive team, and to giving the executive leadership the\u00a0platform and support it needs to deliver.<\/p>\n
As part of the ongoing collaboration between The Spar Group and its independent retailers, executives and Guild representatives spent two days together in KwaZulu-Natal advancing initiatives aimed at strengthening retailer profitability, improving competitiveness and delivering a better experience for customers.<\/p>\n
The sessions on 16 and 17 September brought the group and retailers\u00a0together around five priority areas:<\/p>\n
Merchandising and pricing
\nRetailer profitability
\nSPAR2U
\nBrand and marketing effectiveness, and
\nRetailer technology.<\/p>\n
The workshop was structured as a series of working\u00a0sessions rather than\u00a0presentations.<\/p>\n
Participants shared perspectives from\u00a0wholesale and retail,\u00a0tested ideas, identified obstacles, and worked through how\u00a0initiatives already\u00a0under way can be translated into stronger execution at\u00a0store level.<\/p>\n
The discussions were direct and practical.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0common focus was how to\u00a0make the Spar system work better for retailers and\u00a0customers, while building\u00a0greater accountability for delivery across the\u00a0workstreams.<\/p>\n
The engagement also gave both sides an opportunity\u00a0to assess the progress\u00a0already made, exchange ideas and confirm that the\u00a0workstreams are moving\u00a0in the right direction.<\/p>\n
Collaboration grounded in the Spar model<\/p>\n
Tobias Wasmuht, managing director of Spar International, travelled to South\u00a0Africa to take part in the workshop.<\/p>\n
He says the engagement reflected a core\u00a0strength of the Spar model: independent\u00a0retailers and the wholesale\u00a0organisation bringing their different expertise to\u00a0the same table.<\/p>\n
\u201cOver the past two days, I saw the Spar model at\u00a0its best: independent\u00a0retailers and the group bringing their experience to the\u00a0same table, speaking\u00a0openly and working through practical solutions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe energy\u00a0was constructive\u00a0and the focus was firmly on execution,\u201d says Wasmuht.<\/p>\n
\u201cSpar succeeds when entrepreneurial retailers are supported by the scale, expertise and resources of the wider organisation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat spirit was clear in every discussion.\u201d<\/p>\n
From the workshop to the shop floor<\/p>\n
On the second day, the group moved from the\u00a0workshop room to the shop floor\u00a0at Lifestyle SUPERSPAR in Ballito, where a\u00a0major refurbishment was 42 days\u00a0from completion.<\/p>\n
The visit provided a practical view of the science\u00a0behind modern food retailing.<\/p>\n
Store layout, customer flow, lighting, shelving,\u00a0category adjacencies and\u00a0product ranging are all being considered through the\u00a0lens of how customers\u00a0experience the store.<\/p>\n
Even the colour of the racking has a purpose. Black\u00a0shelving is being used\u00a0extensively across the redesigned store, while white\u00a0racking has been selected\u00a0for the wellness section to create a cleaner, more\u00a0clinical setting suited to the\u00a0category.<\/p>\n
The product range is similarly informed by the\u00a0demographics and needs of the\u00a0surrounding community.<\/p>\n
The aim is to ensure that\u00a0what is stocked, where it is\u00a0positioned, and how it is presented reflect how\u00a0customers in that market shop.<\/p>\n
The refurbishment is designed to make the store\u00a0easier to navigate, more\u00a0relevant and more inviting. It also gives customers\u00a0more reasons to enter the\u00a0store and return.<\/p>\n
The physical environment is only part of the\u00a0experience. The store is placing\u00a0equal emphasis on staff training, product\u00a0knowledge and service with a smile.<\/p>\n
A modern store may be well designed, but\u00a0the interaction between a customer\u00a0and a staff member remains one of the most\u00a0important expressions of the\u00a0Spar brand.<\/p>\n
A shared focus on delivery<\/p>\n
For the Guild, the workshop represented an\u00a0important step in converting the\u00a0renewed engagement into action and building\u00a0momentum across the five\u00a0priorities.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis engagement showed what working together looks like in practice,\u201d says Roy Sheodin of the Spar Guild.<\/p>\n
\u201cRetailers brought the reality of the shop floor and the Group\u00a0brought its\u00a0expertise, scale and resources. We exchanged ideas openly,\u00a0challenged each\u00a0other constructively and made real progress on initiatives\u00a0already under way.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe all want stronger retailers, a stronger Spar and a better experience for customers. That is where our energy is going.\u201d<\/p>\n
Over the next 12 months, progress across the workstreams will be measured by stronger retailer economics, improved price competitiveness, better execution, and a customer experience that earns greater loyalty.<\/p>\n
\u2018United cooperation\u2019<\/p>\n
The two-day engagement showed how practical work,\u00a0open exchange and\u00a0shared accountability are strengthening the relationship\u00a0needed to deliver\u00a0those outcomes.<\/p>\n
The Group and its retailers are moving in the same direction and are focused on the same goal.<\/p>\n
That is the shared objective the Guild set out in\u00a0its statement: \u201cTo restore\u00a0confidence, rebuild the strength of the business and\u00a0return the Spar\u00a0Group and its retailers to the level of performance, pride and\u00a0success\u00a0that has historically defined Spar.\u201d<\/p>\n
The retail directors closed their statement with a\u00a0principle familiar to\u00a0every Spar retailer: \u201cAll shall benefit through united\u00a0cooperation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brought to you by The Spar Group.<\/p>\n
Moneyweb does not endorse any product or service being advertised in sponsored articles on our platform.<\/p>\n
#Spar #Guild #retailers #commit #working #strengthen #business<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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