How to Acquire and Retain Organic Customers

Did you know that 92 percent of shoppers will do business with grocery stores that influence them by their attitude? People talk to other people, and a good experience makes them tell others something positive. A lousy experience makes people speak negatively about a company. Who do you think will get the business?

As the world continues to evolve, so does the food business. Consumers’ shopping habits have changed, and if we don’t give customers what they want or they are unimpressed by how products are presented to them, they’ll go somewhere else or simply won’t buy.

Loyal organic shoppers

You may call some of these customers “renegades” for these acts of jumping ship in the middle of the produce department. Perhaps it was poor service that drove them away. Or maybe they don’t want to shop in a display section that only has a limited number of organic items in it. In addition, out of stock items can cause you to lose customers—sometimes forever.

A produce buyer once told me that he had service problems with a specific organic produce supplier. “Some days, dealing with certain salespeople on the phone stresses me out,” he said. “I once needed several pallets of fresh organic produce items from our supplier, and the salesperson got all bent out of shape by asking me where I thought he was going to find trucks. He told me he could not get us the product unless I came up with the transportation. I often must give the business to another organic supplier who anxiously accepts my order and was most grateful.”

As the world continues to evolve, so does the food business.

Competing in our industry is fierce enough. Only the companies that show respect for their customers will make their reputation stand out in a very positive way. Good words get around, but negative words get around even faster. The attitudes must start at the top with the CEO, president, or owner. 

Customers want to put thousands of dollars in the hands of companies and some people send a negative message that “they don’t want it.” Whether it's a retailer purchasing product from a supplier or a customer shopping at a specific store for their organic produce, they represent an important sale. If the interaction is sour, they'll take their money somewhere else.

What do organic produce buyers want? It’s simple. They want to deal with friendly, helpful suppliers.

What do organic produce shoppers want? They want to shop in a produce department that offers them a fresh, clean, and neat organic display stocked with a variety that is comparable to the conventional section.

The stores that carry 20 or 25 organic items just to show that they offer the category will not draw the diehard organic shoppers. And those shoppers have what all stores want—money.

Give this a serious thought— if your company has 10,000 customers this year and many of them shop for organic produce, how many of those same customers become angered and dissatisfied with the way they are treated or serviced?