Day: November 19, 2018

Faster, Mobile, New Communities

Technology is a large part of the PRSM 2023 strategic plan, and what better place to start than the website? Shortly after PRSM2018 National Conference convened, the process of redesigning prsm.com to a more member-friendly tool, began. The website’s ultimate goal is to be an intersection for varying member needs, including but not limited to: mobile responsiveness, educational resources, networking, and industry news.

Whether members are at their desk or on-the-go traveling, accessing the website is now easier than ever. Mobile responsiveness allows users to switch between desktop, tablet, and mobile while finding members in the online directory, reading the latest Benchmarking report, or getting involved in a PRSM Community discussion.

The improved search function on the website and the PRSM Community enables members to search by keyword, author/presenter, or company. Whether you use a desktop, laptop, or mobile device, searching for any topic now provides the same consistent information.

Top searches include: HVAC, Doors, Roof, P&L, SLA, Lighting-Energy Savings, and 2018 Retailer Return on Investment (ROI)

Directly from the homepage, members can easily use the top navigation bar to select certain content, use the search tool, or scroll down the page for quick access to the latest events, education, resources, or news. The enhanced scroll feature is broken out into these main topic areas and enables members to quickly find webinars, conference video sessions, benchmarking reports, tools, templates and more.

PRSM Community has replaced the old X-Change as the place for members to connect, ask questions, discuss relevant topics, and share information. Community types have been expanded to include an open forum, where regardless of member type, you can talk to each other, and ask or answer questions.

Communities for PRSM committees, retailers, suppliers, and special interest groups will remain private. New features in the PRSM Community include event listings, blogs, and shared files. Blogs can be authored and posted by PRSM Staff or members. Shared files and all website content will be easily searchable.

A new, single sign-on for the member database and website, makes all of these tools and resources readily available. The online member directory will be consistent, regardless of where members search and include the most up-to-date information.  To ensure PRSM has your latest information, don’t forget to log in and update your member preferences!

Retailers are used to seeing customers pressed for time and intent on getting into and out of their stores as quickly as possible, even if it means breaking a sweat. But Jacy Everett envisions a time in the not-too-distant future when many customers will be quite happy to browse a while. To these customers, what’s in the parking lot might be almost as important as what’s on your shelves.

Everett, Director of Business Development for Aetna Corp., said retail stores that devote a small percentage of parking spaces to electric vehicle (EV) charging stations will have an edge over competitors as EVs become increasingly popular. In September, EV manufacturers hit a significant milestone when the number of EVs sold worldwide hit four million, according to Bloomberg News. The rate of adoption is accelerating quickly.

About one million EVs were sold during the six-month period that ended in August, and the International Energy Agency expects there to be 125 million EVs on the road by 2030. In May, a survey by the American Automobile Association found 20 percent of Americans planned to make an EV their next vehicle purchase, up from 15 percent in 2017.

The AAA survey found consumers’ two main concerns about EVs are “range anxiety” – the fear that they will run out of battery power on the road and be stranded – and a dearth of available charging stations. But with battery technology improving and charging infrastructure expanding, those issues are becoming less worrisome to consumers, especially millennials, who are more likely to be environmentally conscious.

“Today, electric vehicles have mainstream appeal,” said Greg Brannon, AAA’s Director Of Automotive Engineering. “While concern for the environment is still a major motivator, AAA found U.S. drivers are also attracted to the lower long-term costs and advanced technology features many of these vehicles offer.”

Level 1 charging stations, which typically take eight to 12 hours to charge a fully depleted battery, are common in homes. Level 3 stations, the most expensive option, are commonly referred to as DC fast-charging stations and can give most EVs an 80 percent charge in half an hour or less, making them ideal for placement on major corridors to facilitate long-distance traveling. For retailers, the sweet spot is right in the middle with Level 2 stations, which can charge a depleted battery in four to six hours.

“I think many people would be surprised at the number of electric vehicles already on the road and the number of charging stations out there,” said Everett, whose company recently began installing and maintaining charging stations for retail stores. “As the prices continue to come down and battery technology improves, you’re going to see a lot more people buying electric vehicles.”

Everett recommended retailers with ample parking space earmark 5 to 10 percent of their spaces to charging stations to prepare for widespread adoption of EVs. Retailers can structure this amenity as they see fit and can change it on the fly because most charging stations have a wireless connection to the Internet.

Some retailers might want to allow free, unlimited charging, while others might want to attach a small fee to the service. Others might want to make charging free for only the first hour or so to prevent abuse. Retailers can choose to provide free charging to employees as a workplace benefit or offer them a discounted rate.

Everett said one retailer discovered that a resident living nearby was using its charging station for long periods late at night, so the store made the charging station free to use only during store hours and began charging for it after closing time. He said in the near future, retailers will be able to link the charging stations to customer rewards cards to encourage use.

EV charging stations make sense for a wide variety of retailers but are especially attractive for stores where customers typically spend a good deal of time, such as big-box retailers, gyms, movie theaters, malls, grocery stores and restaurants.

“If you have charging stations at your location, people are going to find them, and that really gives that retailer an advantage,” Everett said. “The typical EV driver has a higher income than the average consumer, so if you want to attract these customers and you have a charging station and your competitor doesn’t, you can potentially influence that person to come to your site because you have that amenity.”

Electrify America, a subsidiary of Volkswagen Group of America, plans to invest $2 billion to create a nationwide network of charging stations by 2027, with $800 million devoted to locations in California, traditionally a leader in the environmental movement.

In April, the company announced plans to install DC fast-charging stations at more than 100 Walmart stores in 34 states by June 2019. Electrify America also has installed charging stations at retail locations for Target, Simon Property Group, Brixmor Property Group, Kimco Realty Corp. and DDR Corp. The company installs and maintains charging stations, with a minimum build of three parking spaces, at no cost to retailers through site-use agreements.

“The premise is to provide customers with convenient, well-lit charging stations at a wide range of retail locations,” said Brendan Jones, COO at Electrify America. “The number of EVs hitting the market is going to increase exponentially, and these EVs, which are coming from a wide variety of manufacturers, are going to have longer-range batteries and faster charge times.” 

By: Nick Fortuna

Signage offers retailers an opportunity to provide a unique customer experience, explained Tim Smith, Director of Business Development for Federal Heath. While signage used to play a utilitarian role by identifying the store by name on the exterior and identifying different departments, sales items and specialty areas within the store, it serves a more critical role today. “Now, the building itself is a sign, with architectural features such as canopies and awnings that tie into the overall brand,” he said.

Retailers are moving toward more digital signage on the building exterior as well, Smith pointed out. The resolution of today’s digital signs allows for more complex graphics than signs introduced 10 years ago, which means that investment in upgrades to these signs is a budget item FMs must consider, he suggested.

One of the emerging trends in signage is projector technology. Not only can a projector display an image on different surfaces, but projector mapping enables the display of multiple images that add different dimensions to the message.

Digital signage inside a store is a trend that will continue, said Shannon Markwell, Manager of Retail Facilities and Maintenance for Charlotte Russe. “Digital screens throughout the store or in store windows can share simple, specific messages that can be easily changed to reflect sales or new merchandise,” she said. “Videos that show how products can be used – such as how to put a fun outfit together – can help shoppers make decisions.”

The practical side of interactive digital screens throughout the store includes the ability to go online and order an item that may not be available in the store, which means the retailer does not lose the sale. Another benefit is the ability to quickly change messages and content, Markwell said. “We are a fast-fashion company, which means we need to change messages frequently to reflect fast-changing trends.”

Not only does the up-to-date visual experience support sales, but the technology eliminates the cost of designing, printing and shipping promotional signage as well as the labor to hang marketing signage throughout stores for promotions, sales and seasonal changes. “Although investment in digital signage throughout a store is significant, the return on investment is huge,” Markwell said.

Another cost savings generated by digital signage is energy savings, Smith pointed out. The use of LED lights along with timers and sensors that dim or turn off signage when no one is in the area contribute to overall energy savings.

Digital signage maintenance is most often managed by third-party partners but retailers with multiple locations can justify internal teams to manage the specialized installation and maintenance of interior digital screens. “One client who installed 10 to 12 screens in each of the company’s 600 convenience store locations set up and trained an internal team to install and maintain the screens,” he said.

No matter which maintenance approach is chosen, the move to digital signage is another example of how today’s FMs must expand their skill sets, Markwell said. “Educating ourselves and choosing the right vendor allows us to better support our store teams.”

By: Sheryl S. Jackson

Water conservation can play a key role in a retailer’s sustainable best practices. One such case study involves Staples’ irrigation and water strategy. Staples has more than 721 sites with irrigation for a total of 25M square feet and 158M gallons of water consumption in its collective properties.

  As competition for water resources intensifies globally, Staples’ water strategies aim to maximize irrigation efficiencies and conservation. The retailer maximizes water inputs like irrigation while minimizing water outputs such as evaporation and runoff. There are numerous factors determining water demand including landscapes, climate, price and weather. The goal is to use water as efficiently at each location mainly through irrigation.

Irrigation Methods and Technology

The five methods of irrigation are surface, sprinkler, drip, center pivot and manual irrigation. Surface irrigation moves water over and across the land by simple gravity to wet the soil. Staples favors the sprinkler method, which pipes a set amount of water and sprays it directly on the landscape. This method helps in conservation since the amount of water can be controlled when paired with programmable, weather-based controllers and high efficiency nozzles.

“In our effort to conserve water, Staples uses scheduled surface irrigation to water intelligently,” said Robert Valair, Manager, Corporate Support Services, Staples Inc. “When soil moisture is low from weather conditions and rainfall, irrigation watering delivers water optimally. It allows Staples to water only as needed to fill the root zone and avoid over watering, which will deplete the soil of oxygen that is important for root growth. This improved irrigation efficiency can often reduce use by 7 to 30 percent.”

Staples and others in the retail industry are replacing existing controllers with “smart irrigation” technology that adjusts the amount of water applied daily to account for landscaping demands. A technician performs an on-site survey and sets up the controller with site-specific information. A local weather station collects site information that wirelessly transmits to the controller. The controller adjusts run-times for site conditions and turf watering requirements. Controllers can reduce water usage by 30 percent. 

Valair also recommended choosing plants that require less water. “Water applied to normal landscapes constitute about 65-75 percent of urban water demand,” he said. “Urban landscaping is a key factor in using as little water as needed by planting the least water thirsty plants and vegetation.”

Case Study of Savings

In an effort to increase water efficiency and sustainability in California, Staples found its distribution center in Rialto, CA, was using 13 million gallons of water annually for irrigation, which is twice the amount of the landscape requirements.

An irrigation assessment was performed that identified several broken heads, lateral line leaks, broken valves and miscellaneous zones that were operating independently of the controller. “Staples worked with the utility to secure incentives that would cover 90 percent of the cost to install new smart controllers and programmed them to operate in accordance with local water restrictions,” Valair explained.  “Additionally, all break/valve issues were repaired, and two new smart meters were installed on the irrigation lines that provided remote monitoring. This ensured water restrictions were being followed and leaks could be identified, and prompt repairs made.”

The improvement resulted in a 4-month payback. Within a year, water consumption was reduced 65 percent, Valair said. “Geographically, there are areas of the U.S., which have severe water restrictions such as California. There are many states and municipalities adopting water restrictions and applying fines that could total thousands of dollars. Staples is constantly monitoring and adhering to restrictions to save water and avoid costly fines.”

By: Rachel Brown