And the Survey Says...!
We had a phenomenal 276 responses to our Customer Survey. Thank you.
Seventy percent of respondents were from the Hilltowns with Cummington and Plainfield in a dead heat for top honors. The other 30% of responses were from all over New England, New York, and well beyond: Virginia, Idaho, Minnesota, Florida, and Sao Paulo, Brazil, to name a few.
So what did you tell us?
If you are not in Sao Paulo (or some other place less convenient to the Creamery), 75% of you shop at the Creamery several times a month or more often; 94% of you find the staff knowledgeable and helpful; and 90% of you feel you are served promptly and courteously. These ratings feel pretty good to us, and we will work to get even better.
The strongest message we received was that only 77% of you are happy with the quality and selection of groceries. You have clearly told us we need to put additional energy into this. We will, and we will use these weekly emails and in-store notices to tell you about our actions.
You purchase from a majority of our categories when you shop. The exceptions are seafood, meat, supplements, and household items. For the last two categories, we accept that we will be your backup store. However, for local meats and fresh seafood we would like to be your "go to" source whenever possible. We have great local farms and marvelous sources of sustainable seafood. We cannot be the least expensive, but we can deliver the best quality available (see our Valentine's Day selection below).
You also told us that when the store is busy, the deli and checkout waits can be frustrating. We will explore ways to improve this.
About half of you took the time to provide comments on the offerings from the kitchen/deli/bakery. Many said, "love it, don't change a thing," and others gave us helpful suggestions that we will discuss with the kitchen staff. We will make changes where we feel it would be beneficial to the largest number of customers. We will provide updates in this email and on Facebook. Stay tuned.
Over 90% of you feel that organic and non-GMO ingredients are "Nice to Have" or "Very Important," while 98% of you voted for local ingredients.
There were common themes in the responses to the question "What factors would encourage you to shop more often and purchase more items at the Old Creamery Co-op?" Those themes included: "If our prices were more attractive"; "If we carried more basic goods"; and "If we offered more gluten-free/organic choices." There were a significant number of specific product suggestions. There was also a common response of "I wish I lived closer."
Regarding our renovations over the last year, the sentiment you expressed was overwhelmingly positive. Expanded parking was most appreciated. Store flow seems quite improved to most people. There was concern expressed about the inside dining area and deli-ordering station. A few of you wished we had not changed anything.
The survey also revealed much anticipation about using the outside patio as the weather improves.
Generally, survey respondents were positive and appreciative of all that the Creamery is today, but not everyone. Many of you took the time to give us specific examples and suggestions about how we could improve. We sincerely appreciate your feedback and will take to heart how we might address concerns from any less-than-satisfied shopper. Please continue to let us know what you think, and we will continue to thrive as a Co-op with your help.
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