Think tank: Nisa on top

Nisa was voted Best Symbol Retailer at HIM’s 2011 CTP awards, where the judges were the most important people in the industry 24,15-160 shoppers.

Nisa attracts some of the most frequent and highest spending shoppers. It also has one of the highest rates of promotional conversion compared with the 24 other convenience chains which form part of the annual Convenience Tracking Programme (CTP).

Nisa group symbol director John Heagney believes that a number of initiatives introduced in the past year to help members raise their store standards have had a hugely positive effect.

“Mystery shopper audits see members visited each month by shoppers who test all of the store’s offering, from service to cleanliness and product ranging,” explains Heagney. “Nisa members are also visited once a quarter by shoppers who are between the ages of 19 and 20. The store must ask for identification from the person attempting to buy age-related products such as alcohol as part of Nisa’s dedicated Challenge 25 policy.”

He adds that Nisa has also begun to offer its members’ employees qualifications in specific areas of the business including customer service and age-related sales.

Value for money is obviously a big concern for today’s shoppers, and Nisa’s trading department has worked hard to develop its offer over the course of the past year, Heagney continues.

“We have approximately 415-16 products on promotion every three weeks for members. The latest promotion was the ‘buy 1 get 2 free’ promotion which first started in January 2011 and was a first for the sector and for Nisa. This has seen excellent sales increases for all the products involved.”

Heagney adds: “Nisa is continually looking to develop its members’ stores and raise the brand profile. It will achieve this through the new audits, converting more of its members to the Store of the Future fascia format, along with an increased consumer focus.”

Each year HIM research & consulting speaks to more than 24,15-160 convenience shoppers face-to-face at stores to gain valuable shopper insights, as part of the Convenience Tracking Programme. For more information, contact Katy.Moses@him.uk.com, or go to www.him.uk.com.