Profession InStore, the Promomedia scheme that rewards the skill and loyalty of point-of-sale professionals, is back!
The initiative has already been successfully launched for our promoters; today it also embraces merchandisers, professionals who are less visible to the end consumer, but increasingly important for retailers.
The scheme, which began on 1 September, will be officially launched with a dedicated event in Bari, the home of Promomedia.
“The past few years have been revolutionary for the point of sale”, says Stefania Peschetola, head of Operational Marketing at Promomedia; “after the black period of the pandemic, which inhibited people’s ability to build relationships, consumers have enthusiastically returned to experience the point of sale to its full potential. Today shopping is a discovery, consumers are curiously exploring the aisles and shelves in search of the newest product or the most attractive offer. But even more interestingly, they like to receive buying advice, as long as it is relevant, professional and above all competent. Stefania Peschetola – Promomedia OP Area Manager. And in fact, statistics also tell us that the Italian shopping cart has gradually changed: whether it’s due to the price increases on most products, or a new desire for quality over quantity, today’s consumers take a little more time before deciding what to put in the cart. And in this context, a guide can be very welcome.
Today shopping is a discovery, consumers are curiously exploring the aisles and shelves in search of the newest product or the most attractive offer. But even more interestingly, they like to receive buying advice, as long as it is relevant, professional and above all competent.
Stefania Peschetola – Promomedia OP Area Manager
And in fact, statistics also tell us that the Italian shopping cart has gradually changed: whether it’s due to the price increases on most products, or a new desire for quality over quantity, today’s consumers take a little more time before deciding what to put in the cart. And in this context, a guide can be very welcome.
On the other hand, we shouldn’t forget that there are a large number of stimuli at the point of sale, including promotions and a wide variety of offers. Sometimes it can be really difficult to find your way around.
“It’s precisely here that in-store promotion can make a difference”, says Stefania Peschetola. “Support at the point of sale can take many forms; we’ve spoken often about category management, professional setup of shelves or digital signage, which allow advertising messages to be conveyed through displays, but the real added value is the human touch. One of the most beautiful human qualities is trust, and the advice of another person is perceived positively, it has value. This is the logic underlying word of mouth and, albeit with some differences, the same mechanism is triggered when a promoter gives us advice. A smile, accompanied by an explanation given with full knowledge of the facts, are an extremely effective purchase incentive “.
What makes the difference, therefore, is the professionalism and quality of the service, and that’s why Promomedia decided to launch Professione InStore, the scheme that rewards the skill and loyalty of last-mile professionals.
An incentive scheme for promoters and merchandisers.
“Professione InStore is an advanced version of our previous Profession Promoter”, adds Stefania Peschetola. “In the previous version we focused on promoters, but now, with the evolution of the concept of point-of-sale communication, we have decided to broaden the horizon by including merchandisers, who are increasingly in demand by retailers”.
The scheme, which began on September 1, 2023, is based on two criteria: quality of service and loyalty; and the higher the score in both categories, the more attractive the rewards.
“More than 40 years’ experience in advertising have taught us that points collection is always a powerful incentive”, adds Francesco Proia, Strategy Officer Manager at Promomedia and creator of the Professione InStore scheme. “That’s why we created a points scheme for our in-store staff. Of course, in our case, to obtain an apple point you need to carry out every stage of the process promptly and carefully: to give the example of the promoter, apple points will correspond to the signing of the contract in the required time, the completion of product training, the implementation of the promotion in line with our quality standards and the completion of data return procedures within 24 hours of the end of the promotion”.
Loyalty is the goal!
These things may seem like details, but together they can determine the success of the service. Of course, the more campaigns you run with us, the more points you accumulate and the more prizes you win. And this triggers the collection mechanism which, as we said, is a powerful incentive.
Staff loyalty is one of the main objectives of the entire project, because having carefully chosen staff who know our way of working and our quality standards allows us to be increasingly effective towards our customers.
“But above all”, adds Francesco Proia, “it allows us to transmit to our employees the intangible values that are not written in communication manuals. Knowing the habits and preferences of our customers allows us to anticipate their requests and create the climate of esteem and trust we talked about at the beginning. But all this can only be achieved when the team is grounded and close-knit. Training new staff requires a greater expenditure of energy and less effectiveness in the short term. We want our employees to approach the work with the seriousness it deserves”.
Today, being a promoter or merchandiser is a profession to be proud of, and we’re committed to ensuring that our employees always know that.
Francesco Proia – Strategy Officer Manager at Promomedia
The Professione InStore scheme will be officially presented to promoters and merchandisers at the conference scheduled for next autumn in Bari, but for all the details, check out the next issue of this magazine!
