The importance of ‘ugly’ GNFR for your business
GNFR items cover a whole range of things that help you and your staff carry out your day-to-day roles.
Think of all the things you or your staff might get up to daily while they’re at work. These will include jobs such as cleaning your store, including toilet facilities, floors, shelving units, desks, windows and changing rooms, changing displays including signs and banners at height, updating clothing ranges and sorting hanger storage for items that have been purchased to replacing till rolls and cashing up at the end of every day.
These are just a few things your teams get up to every day, but they rely on having essential GNFR items to help do them effectively. We’re talking what we class ugly product, but they are essential. Think buckets, ladders, storage units, crates. Not having them can have a direct impact on your customers’ in-store shopping experience, staff productivity and the overall success of your business.
The State of Brick & Mortar Retail Report from Service Channel shows just how important it is to maintain your in-store standards. The report states:
- 86% of people spend more time in nicer stores
- 64% have walked out of a store because of physical appearance or disorganisation
- 1 in 5 people won’t return to a store because of a dirty bathroom
- 52% of shoppers will leave without making a purchase after a bad experience
Lack of GNFR planning can harm your operations
It should come as no surprise that failing to plan and keep an accurate inventory of your essential GNFR items can lead to some serious consequences. These include:
• Reduced customer satisfaction
Imagine a customer visiting your store, only to find dirty floors, restrooms out of toilet paper, or even missing lightbulbs, making your store look dark and dingy. All these things can do instant damage to your reputation, causing customers to walk out, potentially never return, and leave a scathing online review. Maintaining high in-store standards is crucial for attracting and retaining customers.
• Decreased employee productivity
Your employees depend on essential GNFR products to perform their tasks effectively. If your store lacks basic tools needed for their daily tasks, like ladders to change displays at height and even dustpans and brushes to clean up spills quickly, it forces them to find solutions of their own, which takes time away from other vital tasks. It could even compromise their safety, leading to potential accidents and injuries.
• Operational inefficiency
GNFR items are essential to keeping your stores running smoothly. Without bins to collect waste or enough till rolls for receipts, daily operations can quickly become chaotic and time-consuming.
• Increased costs
You’ve probably experienced the headache of running out of GNFR supplies, and having to find quick alternatives can be costly. Last-minute orders often come with higher shipping costs, and buying one-off items to keep you going until your regular delivery can cost more per unit. The time spent sourcing and purchasing these items is also disruptive for staff.
Getting a reliable GNFR partner
Finding a reliable GNFR supply chain partner who can source, store and deliver products is important and working with a good GNFR partner helps ensure that your stock levels of essential items are consistent. Supply chain disruption has been a regular occurrence since 2020 and shows no sign of improvement. By working with a partner that can deliver consistently on schedule and in the right quantities, it will make your life easier and help you to keep control of your costs.
If your GNFR partner knows what you need, when you need it, you’ll benefit from economies of scale and regular delivery schedules which helps bring costs down. As a large GNFR partner, Worldpack can order and store your products up to 12 months in advance, which protects you from fluctuating prices. Working with one GNFR supplier also simplifies your procurement process, potentially leading to even more savings.
A reliable GNFR partner will help you streamline your logistics, so that your products arrive on time and in the right quantities. This reduces the risk of delays, reduces downtime, and helps with your in-store efficiency.
Retail demand can fluctuate, especially during busy shopping seasons. Your GNFR partner needs to be able to offer flexibility so that when you need more items at short notice, they can fulfil them without hassle. This is crucial for maintaining consistent service and cleanliness during peak times.
Maintaining good levels of your essential GNFR items will help you create a good in-store experience for both your customers and your staff. Getting your GNFR strategy sorted for 2025 will help you reduce your costs, boost productivity and maintain your bottom line but choosing the right partner is vital.
If you’re looking for a partner that can support your GNFR strategy in 2025, speak to our team on +31 (0) 88 494 20 80 or email us at online@worldpack.eu.
