The United Family Launches Location-Based Curbside Solution
United Supermarkets, a subsidiary of Albertsons Companies, has partnered with location-based tech company Radius Networks to maximize efficiency with seamless curbside pickup operation.
The United Family is a grocery chain with stores in Texas and New Mexico, currently operating 94 stores under five banners: United Supermarkets, Market Street, Amigos, Albertsons Market and United Express. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, curbside orders have more than tripled.
Radius Networks' FlyBuy location platform uses proprietary machine-learning technology to accurately calculate the guest's arrival time. The shopper simply places an e-commerce order and is notified when their order is ready for pickup. The store immediately receives an accurate ETA, gains visibility into the shopper’s journey, and receives timely alerts which give team members time to fulfill the order and meet the shopper as soon as they pull up.
"As you can imagine, we are currently working on all cylinders to service our in-store, curbside, and delivery guests," said Chris Farr, director of ecommerce at United Supermarkets. "Being able to reduce the guest wait time by preparing their order before they arrive is a game changer. FlyBuy will be integrated with both our e-commerce and picking applications to streamline operations so there is very little disruption to the way our team members currently operate. This allows us to prioritize order fulfillment while creating a frictionless and personalized experience for our guests."
The real-time location updates are extremely helpful for team members, enabling them to prioritize orders based on guest arrival times, and deliver the orders as soon as guests arrive in the STREETside pickup zone. Guests are provided with a fast and easy curbside experience, and significantly decreased wait times, which is a crucial part of the pickup program.
"In light of current events, helping retailers with the significant increase in online orders is essential, and creating a smooth curbside or doorside pickup experience is more important than ever," said Jeff Baskin, EVP of Global Partnerships at Radius Networks. "Associates inside of the store are working hard to keep food on the shelves, and we can help them maximize their efficiencies while creating a seamless experience for the customer at the curb. We are excited to partner with Chris and the innovative team at United Supermarkets to bring this technology to their associates and especially their customers."