Loyalty360 Reads: RaceTrac Improves CX with HPE’s Help, Grocery Doppio’s 2023 Digital Grocery Year in Review, and Instacart Improves Selection for SNAP Families

A Better Customer Experience Across 800+ RaceTrac Gas Stations & Stores 

RaceTrac, a chain of gas stations and convenience stores primarily located in the southern U.S., is now collaborating with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) to elevate the customer experience across 800+ stores. By establishing HPE ProLiant servers in every store, increased security and enhanced performance of program applications are better ensured. The brand also takes advantage of the improved data management HPE Alletra Storage provides. 

“HPE compute and storage solutions provide retailers a unique foundation to fuel seamless customer experiences and optimized operations,” says Neil MacDonald, executive vice president and general manager, Compute, at HPE.  

Leveraging HPE’s tools will allow RaceTrac to improve the customer experience related to self-pumping gas stations, credit card and payment processing, and the brand’s customer loyalty program. HPE technology options will also support store management programs.  

“The average time spent by a RaceTrac customer is approximately two and a half minutes, and our goal is to offer a frictionless experience during every visit,” says Tyler Grubbs, executive director, Store Systems and Technologies, at RaceTrac.  

Future initiatives being considered in the RaceTrac/HPE collaboration include fraud prevention and real-time inventory tracking. 

Learn more about HPE ProLiant servers at: https://www.hpe.com/us/en/hpe-proliant-servers.html   
 

Grocery Shoppers Purchased More In-Store in 2023, But Grocers Will Invest in Technology for Digital Grocery in 2024  

The 2023 Digital Grocery: Year in Review report from Grocery Doppio, powered by Incisiv, reveals that grocery executives’ top digital priority for 2024 is creating a better integration between store and digital systems.  

The report concludes that although there were challenges for digital grocery in 2023, there are indications of “inventory improvement.” Rising inflation impacted grocery shoppers’ choices in 2023. Grocers are eyeing AI as the lead for leveraging digital technologies in 2024. Seventy-three percent of grocery executives predict AI to be used throughout their technologies by 2025.  

“As customers modified their shopping strategies to battle rising costs, they did more in-store purchasing. However, grocers’ technology investments for 2024 demonstrate confidence that the long-term trend for digital grocery is still up and to the right,” says Gaurav Pant, Chief Insights Officer of both Incisiv and Grocery Doppio.  

Adds Charlie Kaplan, Chief Revenue Officer at Wynshop, an e-commerce solution, “Inventory control, omnichannel shopping, and effective implementation of AI are key to aspects of achieving profitability in digital grocery.”  

Download the 2023 Digital Grocery: Year in Review here: https://www.grocerydoppio.com/research-report/2023-digital-grocery-year-in-review  
 

SNAP Families with Transportation Barriers Benefitted by Instacart Expansion 

Instacart announced that families using SNAP benefits will now be able to depend on the delivery service when shopping at Kroger, Ralphs, Foods Co, Fry’s, Jay C, Pay Less, and Food 4 Less stores. Expanding services will help alleviate challenges related to unreliable and non-existent transportation. According to Instacart’s estimates, this will allow the company to offer “online SNAP acceptance” and grocery delivery to almost 95% of 42M SNAP users (based on 2022 data).  

A representative from Instacart has stated, “We know affordability is essential, and today we offer anyone who has used an EBT SNAP card to purchase groceries on Instacart a discounted Instacart+ membership at $4.99/month (50% off) for 12 months. With Instacart+, households can access free delivery and pickup on orders over $35, 5% credit back on eligible pickup orders, and reduced service fees on every order.”  

Learn more about the Instacart discount at: https://www.instacart.com/company/updates/increasing-access-to-healthy-food-instacart-introduces-discounted-instacart-membership-for-snap-participants/   

 

Read More on Trends, Updates, and Industry Leaders   
 

Original Article Links:   

RaceTrac Revs Up Customer Experience for 800+ Gas Service Station Stores using HPE ProLiant Servers at the Edge 

Grocers Lost Margin and Market Share on Digital Grocery Sales in 2023, but are Optimistic about 2024, with Focus on Omnichannel Leading the Way 

Greater selection for SNAP families now on Instacart 

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