Outcome summary
Small and Mighty Group supported a national supermarket network to lift customer experience and frontline performance by embedding practical, people-led service behaviours. One store’s leadership adopted the program deeply—driving a measurable uplift in customer satisfaction, staff engagement, and operating profit without increasing staffing or cost.
The challenge
When a national supermarket chain with more than 950 stores began losing ground to competitors, the warning signs were clear: customer satisfaction was declining, sales were under pressure, and price-based competition was becoming harder to win. Leadership recognised that scale and discounting alone would not create long-term advantage.
A different strategy was required—one grounded in people, purpose, and everyday execution.
Starting with insight, not assumptions
The engagement began with a structured diagnostic phase. Working with Small and Mighty Group Executive Director Torben Soelvsteen and an academic partner, the business reviewed performance data and conducted customer surveys across the network to establish a clear baseline.
The insight was consistent: customers didn’t just want cheaper products or faster checkouts. They wanted to feel seen, supported and valued. Service quality—not price—was the differentiator.
From this work, a national service program was designed and rolled out with a simple intent: create a service experience that sets the brand apart, without adding cost or operational complexity.
One store that embedded it deeply
Across the network, one store stood out. Rather than treating the service program as a campaign, the store’s senior leader committed to embedding it into daily behaviour and decision-making.
The first principle was practical discipline:
- behaviours had to be achievable every day
- they had to work under pressure and fluctuating staffing levels
- they had to cost nothing extra to deliver
Leadership began by working with department managers to shape and test ideas, then held a full staff forum where every team member was invited to contribute, challenge and prioritise initiatives. The outcome was a shared plan owned by the people delivering it—not imposed from above.
Small behaviours, big impact
Some of the simplest actions created the largest shifts.
Visible presence and proactive engagement
Staff were encouraged to walk against the flow of customers, making eye contact and greetings natural. Customer feedback changed quickly—many assumed staffing levels had increased even though they hadn’t. Store theft also reduced significantly, driven by increased presence and awareness.
Helping rather than pointing
Staff moved from pointing customers to aisles to walking with them to the product. This created space for conversation about what customers were cooking or looking for, enabling suggestions and alternatives when items were unavailable. Customers were guided to the main product ranges rather than limited checkout displays—improving choice and satisfaction.
Sales improved because customers felt supported, inspired and confident in their decisions.
Empowerment at the checkout
Trust was extended at the frontline. Checkout staff were empowered to resolve issues immediately:
- pricing errors corrected on the spot
- sensible discounts applied when appropriate
- additional checkouts opened early to keep queues short
- care taken with packing and product handling
Small human moments were encouraged too—helping families, offering fruit to children, or calming a distressed shopper with a simple bakery treat. The cost was negligible. The return came through stronger loyalty and advocacy.
When culture holds itself accountable
One of the strongest signals of sustainable change was when team members began holding leaders to account. Staff corrected managers when behaviours slipped—such as directing shoppers to a limited checkout display instead of walking them to the main product range where choice and experience were better.
The culture began to reinforce itself.
Customers noticed as well. The experience became memorable enough that a senior executive at another organisation referenced their local supermarket in glowing terms without prompting—proof that the behaviours were not performative, but embedded.
Results
The outcomes were significant:
- Customer satisfaction increased from 5 to 95 (out of 100)
- Financial performance shifted from a $1M loss to a 200% increase in operating profit within two years
- Staff engagement and pride lifted, supported by visible appreciation and reinforcement from leadership
Advocacy spread organically, and the approach contributed to the store leader’s progression into senior sales leadership roles at head office.
What this case reinforces
This story isn’t about retail tactics—it’s about leadership choices.
When organisations focus on customers, empower frontline teams, and align daily behaviour with shared purpose, they unlock innovation and accountability where it matters most. For organisations facing margin pressure and competitive intensity, the lesson is clear: sustainable growth is built through clarity, trust, and disciplined execution at the human level.
Explore related services:
- People + Leadership (coaching, culture, team alignment)
- Execution + Implementation (embedding change and delivery support)
- Strategy + Advisory (clarity, prioritisation and leadership decision support)
