Retailer of the Year
Guess Who ?, Salisbury also oversees technical implementation and support across all Macadoodles stores .
“ My dad always comes up with great new ideas , and he calls me up and says , ‘ Jenn , I want to do this ,’ and it ’ s my job to figure out how to help get it done ,” Salisbury says . “ Regardless of the project , everything always comes back to customer service . From day one , Dad wanted that good , old-fashioned customer experience for people , and to create a store environment where people are always available to help you with something . That ’ s why all of these stores continue to thrive .”
REIMAGINING THE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE What is it that makes Macadoodles unique ? Gildehaus attributes the company ’ s ’ success to the valuable knowledge and skills he acquired during his tenure at Walmart . Additionally , he pays meticulous attention to detail , and constantly evaluates retail operations to identify opportunities for improvement .
All Macadoodles stores ( both corporate and franchise ) have a distinctive look and feel : rustic hardwood floors , inviting color schemes , custom music playlists and open layouts emphasizing functionality and easy access to products . Most Macadoodles stores are quite spacious ( the average size is 10,000 square feet ) to allow them to carry a large number of products . To help customers find products quickly , each general section ( wine , spirits , etc .) is typically organized in sub-categories , such as by region .
Each Macadoodles store is similarly organized and products are rarely rearranged , as Gildehaus thinks customers prefer to have everything remain in the same place so they can easily find what they are looking for . Two of the newest franchise stores have adopted a slightly different layout that gives wine more visibility to customers as soon as they walk into the store , and Gildehaus is considering giving all future stores a similar layout .
Macadoodles also offers enticing programs and events to provide additional value to customers .
In 2021 , the company developed a new loyalty program that leverages its point of sale ( POS ) system capabilities . Customers
Most Macadoodles stores are quite spacious : the average size is 10,000 square feet .
earn store credit on their purchases , and the program has several loyalty point levels . Integration with the POS links the loyalty program with overall customer engagement efforts , so customers can see detailed program information at various touch points . These include emails , across social media channels and on the Macadoodles website , which helps keep the loyalty program top of mind .
Since its launch , the loyalty program has attracted nearly 10,000 members at Macadoodles ’ flagship location alone , a number that continues to grow daily .
Gildehaus stresses that the company is cognizant not to overwhelm customers with excessive volumes of emails or other targeted communications . “ We don ’ t bomb people with emails ,” he explains . “ We only send people the kind of information we think they ’ ll want to know , and based on customer feedback , we ’ re doing a good job of that .’
Every Wednesday , customers can take advantage of 15 % off all wine purchases as part of “ Wine Down Wednesdays ,” which have resulted in increased sales and heightened customer satisfaction . A new program titled “ Macadouble Mondays ” is currently being piloted at the company ’ s Pineville location . It allows loyalty club members to receive double the amount of reward points every Monday , which is traditionally the slowest sales day of the
www . beveragedynamics . com June 2023 • Beverage Dynamics 11