In the world of bakery, a revolution seems to be on the horizon with the emergence of an unprecedented model : automated sales spaces, operational from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., offering an assortment of more than 300 products, without requiring the presence of a sales team.
This transformation, embodied by the installation of Distri’Click equipment at Délices des Anges, questions the traditional role of sellers and raises inquiries about the future of customer relations.
Distri’Click introduced an innovative concept at “Délices des Anges,” featuring an automated sales area where customers can access 70 different references, ranging from baguettes to pastries, via lockers managed by a central terminal. All this, without the need for a traditional sales team.
This transformation proved to be an economical alternative to a complete store overhaul, offering customers the ability to directly follow the production in the adjoining bakery space.
Faced with sales recruitment challenges and personal time constraints, the baker made the bold choice to do without a traditional sales team.
The lack of significant customer feedback raises questions about the real added value provided by sales staff in the current context.
Between the difficulty of finding and retaining employees, sometimes impersonal interactions, and the lack of contribution to sales, reevaluating the traditional role of sellers is appropriate.
The baker’s decision raises fundamental questions about the future of bakeries and customer relations. Will automated stores become the norm, or will small local businesses remain the last bastions of human interaction ?
Perhaps, the optimal solution will be somewhere in between the two extremes : A reduced number of sales staff, but whose role will be redefined to offer more advice, especially during peak hours, assist with specific orders, and stimulate additional sales.
This could lead to a more competent, better trained, and potentially better-paid staff.
The advent of automated sales spaces in the bakery world raises crucial questions about the future of sales staff and customer relations.
The salesman-less revolution could well become a reality in some businesses, but the key may lie in redefining the role of staff, rather than its total elimination.
As the debate over automation in food stores rages on, only the future will tell if bakeries will fully embrace this transformation or find a balance between automated efficiency and human interaction.
