Introduction
Supermarkets are found all over the world. They are of different kinds and are located at different locations. Supermarket can therefore be referred as different large shops that offer services that are self-service and sells household goods and also foods (Swartz, 2015). Shopping in the supermarkets is carried out by individuals and the way shopping is conducted has been changing time by time. The reason behind this is that, individuals have different preferences at different seasons and also the market demand also changes with time. The mode of overheating food culture is changing very quickly even though supermarkets have been found to lag behind. For example; if an individual walks into a market that is next to a supermarket, he/she will find the food which is being sold changing. This is as compared to the basic environment which is always the same especially when refrigerator is involved.
According to Dave Heinzinger, in five years from now, grocery as well as supermarkets will be more developed and transformed. This means that, there will be more differences as compared to now (Kumar, 2018).
To start with, the supermarket customers will highly be empowered and their influence will play a very important role in growth and development of the supermarkets (Dickson, 2015). Customer satisfaction is one of the main aims of supermarkets. Supermarkets management will therefore give their customers more authority and freedom when carrying out their shopping thus helping the supermarket to drive the change it want.
The second change will be caused by the emerging new technologies. This technology will be strong thus giving and helping supermarket customers to carry out any task that he/she admires. This means that, the customers will be able to buy or return the goods that he bought and did not serve the purpose that it was intended to do. The customers will be able to explore, gain different experiences and also save his personal time. All this will help the customers to fulfill their desires, wants and needs in a very easy way and at the right time.
In some years to come, all the different supermarkets that are known of providing goods and services that are unique will have an added advantage in future (Swartz, 2015). The reason behind this is because; the supermarket management knows the value at which the customers place on convenience. This will therefore provide safe goods as well as services thus helping them to attain all the goals that they had set for future.
In five years to come, different supermarkets will have a lot of shared values as compared to now. For example; customers will be able to demand on transparency especially on the pricing of goods and supply chain as compared to now.
b) Impact of technologies in supermarkets
Implementation and introduction of different technologies in supermarkets will help in record making thus making recording very easy and quick. For example; the use of inventory computer system will be able to automatically track all the inventories that the supermarket uses.
Different computers that the supermarkets use helps in checking out processes used in the supermarket. This will help in holding all the information of the supplies that are in the shelves and also on the stores and be able to tell the exact number that that particular supermarket requires (Dickson, 2015.
Supermarkets that deal with different kinds of foods that require climate control will have an added advantage. This is because; emerging technologies such as fringes and oven will help in monitoring temperatures and also make the necessary temperature adjustments.
The supermarket management and customers will be able to connect their credit cards into the supermarket system by use of the emerging technologies. Systems in the supermarket will also be connected thus helping the supermarket management to calculate their goods discounts easily.
The technologies will also help the supermarkets to carry out transactions automatically by quickly connecting the information of their customers with the cards that they use. By use of the technologies, this process will be more personalized and safe to use.
Technologies such as radio frequency if introduced in the supermarkets will play a very vital role. This is because; tracking products and goods in the supermarkets and how they are moving will be easy and quick. This will help the supermarkets to identify and determine the kinds of goods and products that customers prefer and buy more often.
The technologies will also help the marketing department in making guesses and determine the exact product which is selling well. The supermarket managers will therefore be able to organize themselves well and make all the popular products available.
c) The changes that supermarkets need to make to accommodate the new technologies
The first one is developing different training approaches early enough before any new technology is introduced in the supermarket. This training should be offered to the supermarket employees and the managers themselves.
The second thing is creating an effective governance structure. Technology implementation failure is cause by poor management. A strong governance structure that is reliable, manageable and strong should therefore be introduced
Conclusion
Supermarkets are very important in every country. The supermarkets management in different countries should therefore be ready to embrace any change that technologies cause. This is because; technologies bring more positive impact as compared to negative ones.
Reference
- Dickson, P. R., & Sawyer, A. G. (2015). The price knowledge and search of supermarket shoppers. Journal of marketing, 54(3), 42-53.
- Kumar, S. (2018). A study of the supermarket industry and its growing logistics capabilities. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 36(3), 192-211.
- Swartz, J., & Sanders, R. (2015). U. S. Patent No. 5, 412, 193. Washington, DC: U. S. Patent and Trademark Office.