Automatic Merchandiser - 33

Looking to locations for partnerships
Collaboration is not just happening between companies
and associations, but with customers. Yoke operators are
collaborating with their locations, offering the ability to
reward employees using the micro market.
"Our current dashboard allows the operator to offer
both Yoke cash and Yoke points as incentives and rewards
that can be combined with the host location," said Johnson.
"Let's say the location feels everyone had a great quarter
-- made their numbers. The location cuts the operator a
check for $1,000 and the operator distributes $10 of Yoke
cash to everybody's account."
Johnson argues that not only does this engage the customer and add value to the micro market, but it also forges
a stronger provider-customer relationship with the location.
"While no operator wants to lose an account, it does
happen. Contracts end, new employees are looking for something different. If all the company has to do to switch out
the operator is remove the kiosk, that's easy. But if that
company has 500 or 1,000 employees with accounts, with
cash on those accounts, with bonus points, then that's different. That's sticky. It's difficult to undo," said Johnson.
Three Square Market offers the ability to do similar
partnership programs funded by the location.
"We also encourage our operators to set up subsidies at
locations for pre- 8 a.m. and post- 5 p.m.," said Danna. "If
communicated correctly to the location of the micro market,
the location will generally offer subsidized purchases for
employees that are either coming in early or working later
into the evening. We have seen these set up as 100 percent
discounts or minor discounts in the 5 to 10 percent range."
At the conclusion of the month, the operator pulls a report
from the Three Square Market system for the subsidized
discounts. After tallying the amounts, the operator sends
an invoice to the location.

How do you ﬁx
your growing
shrink problem?

Promotions become less foreign
It is difficult to undo habits, but operators looking to grow
their micro markets are changing how they look at marketing and promotions.
"Promotions were never important before, never important to getting more sales," said Thomas. "It's difficult to
change that thinking, but operators see the impact of promotions as they go from two markets to five markets to 10
markets. It's more juice squeezed from the fruit."
Micro markets are a retail space, and operators approaching marketing with that retail mindset will succeed. The
micro market technology providers keep innovating and
making their backend systems more robust to better support
these operators. Together the industry will be in a better
position to produce and deliver promotions which engage
and add value to the end user.

Virtually eliminate theft
Prevent future losses
Improve proﬁtability
Maximize sales
w w w. t h e f t d e t e c t i v e. c o m

June/July 2019

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Automatic Merchandiser

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Automatic Merchandiser

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