Improving employee engagement in convenience retail can make a significant difference in business performance

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Studies consistently show engaged employees are more efficient, have lower turnover and generate higher levels of customer satisfaction—which increases customer loyalty and improves sales performance. This led the NACS/Coca-Cola Retailing Research Council to study employee engagement in a three-phase project called "Power Up Your People."

The final phase of the project includes a 28-page report exploring the status of employee engagement in convenience retail based on a survey of 20,000 c-store employees and managers across 11 different banners. The study, conducted by Service Management Group (SMG), confirms improving employee engagement in convenience retail can make a significant difference in business performance. Top-performing locations score +9% overall customer satisfaction, +6.8% customer likelihood to return and +13.3% likelihood to recommend. The report also states highly engaged organizations are up to 22% more profitable, experience as much as a 25% reduction in turnover and show a 28% difference in shrinkage levels.

The study goes on to outline the value of employees as brand ambassadors, key drivers for engagement and the financial impact of lower turnover—providing brands the actionable tools they need to make meaningful improvements. On October 19, NACS/Coca-Cola Retailing Research Council Research Director Michael Sansolo and SMG Vice President of Client Insights Jeff Jokerst will present key findings from the study during this year's NACS Show at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. The full report is also available to download for free at www.ccrrc.org

"SMG has partnered with hundreds of c-store, grocery and restaurant brands for more than 25 years to deliver customer and employee engagement insights," said SMG's Jeff Jokerst. "With that lens, we're very impressed with what the NACS/Coca-Cola Retailing Research Council has started here, and we would encourage any c-store organization to get involved."

About NACS/Coca-Cola Retailing Research Council
The NACS/Coca-Cola Retailing Research Council (www.ccrrc.org) is composed of convenience industry leaders from around the world. It conducts studies on issues that help retailers respond to the changing marketplace. The unique value of these studies rests with the fact that retailers define the objective and scope of each project and "own" the process through the release of the study and its dissemination to the broader retail community. To learn more about the NACS/Coca-Cola Retailing Research Council or to participate in a future study email Dae Kim at [email protected] or call 703.518.4242

About Service Management Group
SMG (Service Management Group) partners with more than 350 brands around the globe to create better customer and employee experiences, which drive loyalty and performance. SMG uniquely combines technology and insights to help clients listen better, act faster, and outperform competitors. Strategic solutions include omniCX^TM, Brand Research, and Employee Engagement. SMG evaluates over 150 million surveys annually, in 50 languages across 125 countries. To learn more about SMG, visit www.smg.com or call 1-800-764-0439.

Contact: Shad Foos 1-816-778-8282

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SOURCE Service Management Group

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