Shopper Experience Council Selection Process
As a member of the selection team, I wanted to pause and reflect on the process of choosing just 13 individuals for the Shopper Experience Council. The pool of applicants — a mix of FSS, ISS and Shift Leads — was an impressively talented, articulate and driven group.
When we set out to assemble this inaugural group, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I thought, perhaps, that many Full-Service and In-Store Shoppers would be interested, but I was unsure about the number who would actually submit and/or had the bandwidth required to participate in the SEC.
To say I was overwhelmed by the volume of submissions is truly an understatement. The questionnaires not only came flooding in, they demonstrated quality insight and impressive reflection from Full-Service and In-Store Shoppers alike. It’s clear the Shopper community has a lot of valuable feedback to share; we’re excited to join the conversation!
A consistent theme across all the responses was a genuine care and sincere appreciation for the customer. Without question, the Shopper community understands that it’s doing more than just delivering groceries to the customer. Shoppers magically give increments of time back to people. Shoppers make the customer’s day a bit easier (and thus better). Shoppers are especially helpful to individuals in need, by providing an invaluable service that impacts their everyday existence.
This genuine care and sincere appreciation shone through in countless amazing stories of quality service, often through ongoing customer relationships. Shoppers, we learned, value input and feedback and routinely go the extra mile to make sure the customer is blown away by the quality of service. From waiting in line at the bakery to get the right message on a child’s birthday cake to helping an elderly customer by putting away the groceries … I was amazed by all the incredible stories.
Another common theme in the responses highlighted how Shoppers quickly build communities within their different regions — sharing tips and tricks and helping each other out with unforeseen issues. It was enlightening to learn Shoppers value getting to know not only their customers but also their fellow Shoppers. From a simple Google form, it was apparent that many Shoppers across diverse regions have formed a tight-knit family in the common stores in which they shop.
With so many regions across the United States and Canada, it’s no surprise that the Shopper community hosts many distinct perspectives, backgrounds and personalities. Though it was daunting to review thousands of submissions, it was clear that every person has valuable insight to help Instacart improve the Shopper experience, which directly impacts the customer experience as well.
Whittling the applicant pool down to 13 has been incredibly tough. Ultimately, we hope every Shopper has the opportunity to share feedback as we make incremental improvements on Shopper communications. I’m confident the inaugural SEC is an important step in the right direction to better represent a range of Shopper voices and help to guide us in creating a better Instacart for everyone with an interest at stake.
Andy Anthony is a member of the selection team for the SEC and Instacart’s General Manager for Canada. Prior to joining Instacart, Andy worked for several years as a lawyer in Toronto before transitioning into the technology industry with another San Francisco-based tech startup, leading its operation in the Canadian market.
