The Fresh Market Adds Personal Touches to Curbside
Solidifying the importance of curbside pickup while also personalizing the process, The Fresh Market recently launched “The Friendliest Curbside Experience in America” customer service platform.
Key components of the specialty grocer's program include:
- The Fresh Market Personal Shoppers ensuring quality and freshness
- Managers double-checking and verifying every order, with their personal signatures handed to each curbside customer
- Fast and efficient delivery to the car
- 100% satisfaction guaranteed on every item in the curbside basket
The Fresh Market is also “wowing” guests with occasional surprises — like having fully costumed Santas bring out curbside orders during the Christmas shopping season in December.
“Along with the 100% satisfaction guarantee on every item, we have added special touches, such as bringing you a bottle of water on a hot day, or a banana or clementine for your children,” said Brian Johnson, SVP of operations at The Fresh Market. “Our Personal Shoppers are in constant contact with you while fulfilling your order and also write personalized thank- you notes to our guests with recipe suggestions [and] products they think you’d like to try next time, along with other thoughtful touches.”
Additionally, between now and April 30, new users of the retailer's curbside pickup can enter the code 10OFF60 to receive $10 off their purchase of $60 or more.
Rated as one of the top supermarkets offering the best customer service by Newsweek/Statista, The Fresh Market completed the rollout of the Friendliest Curbside Experience in America program in all 159 stores on Dec. 12, 2020. Since the launch, the number of curbside orders has grown significantly, with an average guest rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars; wait times have decreased to under five minutes; and order completion (or fill) rates have also substantially improved.
Other big retailers are also experiencing success from curbside pickup, which has become an essential service during the pandemic. For example, Target Corp. recently reported that during the 2020 holiday season, its Drive Up service saw the fastest growth out of its fulfillment services, at more than 500%.
Based in Greensboro, North Carolina, The Fresh Market operates 159 stores in 22 states. The company is No. 71 on Progressive Grocer’s 2020 PG 100 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America, while Minneapolis-based Target, with approximately 1,900 locations, is No. 7.
